The ANBU Shadows
by Cloudfarer
Summary: This is something that I've been working on for a while now after reading so many fanfics. Summary is inside, since it is longer than what the summary box can hold on the story publish page. (Naruto, OC, Friendship, Bonding, Semi-Strong Naruto, Some OOC-ness) (Rated M to be safe)
1. The Rescue

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter 1

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

 _ **(He is only known as the Shadow. No one knows very much about him, in fact, very few even know that he exists. Those who do only know that he is very efficient at what he does. He has never failed to complete any mission that was assigned to him, even when outnumbered. But what happens when the mythical Shadow turns out to have a soft side, underneath his normal emotionless façade?) (Naruto, OC, Friendship, Bonding, Semi-Strong Naruto, Some OOC-ness) (Rated M to be safe)**_

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Lynx is feeling an odd emotion that he couldn't remember the last time that he had felt. He is currently in his room at the ANBU HQ, lying on his bed, just looking at the lynx ANBU mask that he wears. He is currently lost in his thoughts, thinking that he had killed all his emotions as he had been trained to do; but recently he had started to feel something that he couldn't really remember how to describe.

Lynx gets up and changes out of his ANBU outfit, then leaves his room and starts to leave the ANBU HQ. No one else is in the halls of this portion of the HQ; in fact, very few even know this area exists within the ANBU HQ. It is the reason so very few ever see him, and why he is revered to as a myth. He comes to the end of the hall he is walking down, exits through the hidden door in the wall, and steps out into the bright afternoon sunlight. He takes a deep breath of the fresh air, before _**shunshin**_ ing ( _ **body flicker**_ ing) to his closest companions back balcony, before quickly rapping on the glass door of his companion's home, then waiting.

Iruka is currently working on grading exams from the students of the Academy, when he hears knocking on his back balcony door. He gets up to let his guest in, already knowing who it is, seeing as how this person is the only one to ever knock on his balcony door. He gets to the door, and opens it, allowing the person to enter. "Yuu-san, what are you doing here?" Iruka asks. _**(Lynx's real name is Yuuzuki Tataki, but like most ANBU, his real name is known to very few.)**_

"I'm actually here to speak to you about something." Yuu replies.

"About what?" Iruka asks.

Yuu takes a breath and sighs, something Iruka has never seen him do before. "I don't know how to explain it, but I have had this strange feeling as of late. As you know, I've killed my feelings like all ANBU are trained to do, but I still have this strange feeling that I just can't describe."

Iruka looks a bit surprised at what Yuu tells him, since he seems to always be so passive and never seems to feel nor show emotions. "That's a bit of a surprise; can you describe it in any way?"

"I really don't know, but it feels as though I'm missing something in life; like there's a hole that needs to be filled. I've never had any problems like this before, so I don't fully understand it." Yuu replies.

Iruka ponders Yuu's statement for a moment, but then thinks he might know what it is that Yuu is likely feeling. "I think I may know what is that you're feeling, but it might sound a bit odd."

"Why do you think it may be odd? It's just a feeling so it shouldn't really be that big of a deal, should it?" Yuu asks.

"Well I think what it is that you're feeling is... well, loneliness." Iruka replies.

Yuu just blinks, "Eh? What do you mean loneliness? Why would I be feeling loneliness?"

"Well, I'm no expert but I think it may be because of the fact that you are always by yourself, and don't interact with very many people." Iruka replies.

Yuu thinks about that for a bit, not really sure what to make of his current predicament. He has always wondered what it would be like to be a bit more open about his life, and to interact a bit more with other people; but he has always been more focused on his duty to protect the village than anything else.

"Well it's really up to you, but if I was in your situation, I would possibly try finding an apprentice or something along those lines." Iruka states. "However, if you do take that route, I have someone I can recommend, since he is somewhat in the same boat as you. Just know that he is still a boy, and it will be difficult to train him; but he's actually a very fast learner."

Yuu thinks about what it would be like to have an apprentice for a while. Yuu himself is no expert when it comes to genjutsu or ninjutsu; he has trained himself in taijutsu and swordplay, with a little bit of ninjutsu and kenjutsu mixed in. Even then he knows only a few ninjutsu; _**bunshin (clone)**_ , _**kage bunshin (shadow clone)**_ , _**henge (transformation)**_ , and _**kawarimi (substitution)**_. "I guess that having someone else around could be interesting, but I don't know if I will be able to handle it."

Iruka heads back into his office and grabs a file out of his file cabinet. He then heads back out to sit across from Yuu as he places the folder on the small table in between them. "It really is up to you, but if you do decide to go this route and accept an apprentice, this file here is everything I have on the person I recommend. He really could use a father figure, or even a brother figure in his life. He has grown up without a family, and has been harassed since he was born. If you read the file you will know why that is."

Yuu grabs the folder and opens it, and the first thing he sees is a 5 year old boy with spiky blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and three whisker-like marks on each cheek. He is wearing a white t-shirt with an orange spiral on it. His pants are black with an orange stripe running down the length of the legs, and he has on a pair of black sandals. "Iruka-san, isn't this the boy that the Kyūbi no Yōko was sealed into?"

"Yea, it is... I don't think it's fair that the villagers treat Naruto as badly as they do. The Yondaime Hokage originally sealed the Kyūbi no Yōko into Naruto, in the hope of saving the village from destruction. He succeeded in that, but his second hope-the hope that Naruto would be viewed as a hero when he grew up-was in vain. The villagers view Naruto as the Kyūbi disguised as a human, which is why the villagers treat him the way they do." Iruka says.

Yuu was a bit surprised at that, but didn't show it. He never knew that Naruto was treated as bad as he is. He was one of the few who fought alongside the Yondaime Hokage against the Kyūbi; but he wasn't around when the Yondaime sealed the Kyūbi into Naruto. _**(Yuu doesn't know that Naruto is the Yondaime Hokage's son yet.)**_ "Sounds like Naruto really has had a tough life. That settles it then, I'll go talk to the Sandaime Hokage later, and see about apprenticing Naruto."

"You actually mean that you'll apprentice Naruto? That's great. Wait until Lord Third hears about this, he's gonna have a heart attack. You're the last person he'll expect to apprentice a kid, let alone Naruto." Iruka said. "I have a feeling things are about to get a lot more interesting."

Yuu gets up, thanks Iruka for the talk, and heads for the balcony door. After he steps onto the balcony, he takes a breath of the cool afternoon air and _**shunshin**_ s back to the hidden ANBU HQ door. He opens the door, and heads back to his room; then changes back into his ANBU outfit, and dons his mask. He then _**shunshin**_ s to the outside of the Hokage's office in the Hokage Tower, and knocks on the old oak door, then waits for the reply, which comes moments after.

* * *

The Sandaime looks up from his desk, and is a bit surprised that Lynx of all people has come to speak to him. Lynx never comes just to talk so he thinks something big must have happened. "Lynx... It's a surprise to see you here. What can I help you with?"

Lynx doesn't really know where to begin, but since his face is covered by his mask, you couldn't tell that he is thinking how to word his question. "Hokage-sama, I have been thinking about something for a while, and after speaking with Iruka about what I was thinking about. I have come to the decision that I wish...to take on an apprentice."

Hiruzen was not expecting that. His face was that of pure shock. He never, in his wildest dreams would have thought that Lynx would want to take on an apprentice. He takes a moment to get over the initial shock, and takes a breath. "Really...? I never would have expected that from you, knowing that you prefer to work alone; but if that is what you wish to do, then I don't see the harm in it. Have you decided who it is that you are going to take as an apprentice?"

Lynx is little taken aback by how well the Sandaime Hokage is taking the news of him wanting to take an apprentice. The real question though is; how will he react to the choice? "Actually yes, I have Hokage-sama. Although it may not exactly be someone you would expect someone of my stature to take as an apprentice."

Hiruzen becomes intrigued at who it is that Lynx is going to choose as his apprentice. There are many in the village that look up to the ANBU and their mythical Shadow, and would kill for a chance to be apprenticed by any of the legendary ANBU that defend their home, let alone, the ANBU. "I see... than can you tell me who it is Lynx?"

Lynx takes a deep breath knowing this is one of the biggest decisions he's ever going to make in his life. Not to mention it'll probably cause the Sandaime to have a heart attack at the person he's chosen. "Hokage-sama, the person that I've chosen is Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko."

Hiruzen just sits there stunned, not sure if he heard Lynx correct. He then leans forward with a serious look on his face, "Let me see if I heard you right. You said Naruto Uzumaki, correct?"

Lynx thinks things just went sour, very quickly. "Yes, I said Naruto Uzumaki. I wish to take him as my apprentice, per recommendation of Iruka Umino."

Hiruzen sits back and just looks at Lynx, not sure what to say. First, he was definitely not expecting Lynx to choose Naruto. Second, why would Iruka recommend Naruto-of all people-to Lynx, the legend of the ANBU? And third, what was the council going to say about this? He was truly and utterly at a loss for words.

A few minutes go by; then the silence is broken by Hiruzen. "You do know what you're asking right Lynx? You know what will happen if the council finds out about this right? The council will not allow anyone to apprentice or interact with Naruto, and no one on the council with think anything other than the fact that you are trying to gain power, or are plotting against the village; if you take Naruto as your apprentice. The risk that you are taking has a very high price, you realize that, correct?"

Lynx only replies with a nod of the head.

Hiruzen sighs, then grabs his pipe and adds a pinch of tobacco to it before lighting it. He takes a long drag on the pipe while thinking over what he should do in this situation. He doesn't know what to do. On the one hand, if he allows Lynx to take Naruto as his apprentice, Naruto won't be harassed, or have his life put in danger anymore; but on the other hand, if he allows Lynx to take Naruto as his apprentice, things could become real ugly for Lynx and him real fast. Then again, if nothing happened soon, Naruto could possibly end up losing his life from the beatings he takes from the villagers.

"Alright, here's the deal. I'll allow you take Naruto as your apprentice, but he must be ready for the Academy exams in 5 years' time. He will not be placed on a Genin team; he just needs to be there for the exams. He will also need to take the Chūnin exams. He will be placed in a temporary Genin team, or a team of your choice, in order for him to take the exams. After that, I will leave it up to you when he is ready to become a Jōnin." Hiruzen tells Lynx.

"Thank you Hokage-sama, though I do have a request. I wish for Naruto to be given an ANBU mask. It may seem like a strange request...but instead of Naruto becoming a Jōnin, I wish him to become part of the ANBU program. I believe he would be of more use there, than leading a team of Genin." Lynx says to Hiruzen.

"I won't be able to grant that request right now, but when Naruto becomes a Genin, maybe I'll have an answer for you then, on whether or not that'll be possible. As for Naruto becoming an ANBU, you know good and well what it will take in order for that to happen. The ANBU program is not something to be taken lightly, you should know that yourself." Hiruzen tells Lynx.

"Yes, I know Lord Third. As for my methods, will you leave it up to me how I deal with Naruto and how I train him? He will be living in the secret section of ANBU HQ, near me. And as for the mask, I'm pretty sure I can find a cheap one that'll satisfy Naruto's personality, until it's possible to get him an official one. I plan on healing him from his tormented lifestyle, and turning him into a commendable young shinobi of the Hidden Leaf." Lynx replies.

"I will leave it up to you with how you train Naruto. He is your responsibility now, so I expect good things, do you hear me Lynx? Also...are you going to reveal your true identity to Naruto, or are you going to keep going by Lynx?" questions Hiruzen.

"I'll go by my real name, but I'm going to drill it into his skull that he is only to call me that when I'm not wearing my mask; because you know as well as I do, that an ANBU's identity is their greatest secret." replies Lynx.

"Ok. Well then, I guess we're done here. I do hope that you know what you're getting yourself into Yuuzuki. That boy is a handful, whether he means to be or not." Hiruzen replies, purposely saying Lynx's real name.

"I do as well, Hiruzen-sama, I do as well." Yuu says, using the Sandaime Hokage's real name as he _**shunshin**_ s back to his room in the ANBU HQ.

* * *

Naruto is currently being chased by the villagers again for supposedly being the Kyūbi. It makes him sad to know that no matter what happens, the villagers will always treat him so badly. His clothes are in tatters, he's missing a sandal, and he has a long, deep cut on his left arm from defending himself from a woman with a kitchen knife. Naruto takes a wrong turn and finds himself in a dead-end alley. As the mob closes in on Naruto, his short, 5 years of life flash before his eyes. Naruto thinks for sure that he is going to die then and there, when a black-armored figure suddenly appears between him and the mob. He then passes out from the blood loss and exhaustion.

"By order of the Sandaime Hokage, you are to return to your homes immediately. If you fail to comply, I will be forced to take unpleasant measures." The figure commands.

The crowd of villagers were surprised by this newcomer who had just appeared out of nowhere between them and the 'Demon Child.' A majority of the people disperse, but there are some more stubborn ones, that refuse to budge. One of the villagers ignores Lynx, and tries to bypass him to get to Naruto. Lynx would have none of it, and in the blink of an eye, the villager that tries to get to Naruto loses the hand that is holding knife. A few seconds pass before the villager realizes what had just happened. The villager then clamps his other hand on the stump that was his wrist, and cries out in agony. He backpedals away from Lynx, fearing for his life, as do the rest of the villagers that had stayed. After the rest of the mob finally disperses, Lynx turns around to look at the unconscious Naruto. He sighs, and kneels to pick the boy up, then _**shunshin**_ s back to his room in the ANBU HQ, where he lays the boy down on his bed. He then strips the boy down to his boxers before nursing and bandaging the numerous wounds that the boy has. He then covers the boy with the nearby blanket and goes to take a quick shower, after stripping and hanging up his armor.

After the shower, Lynx dresses and checks on Naruto, then examines the clothes that Naruto had been wearing. After memorizing the sizes of the clothing the small boy wore, he _**shunshin**_ s—out of uniform—to a clothing store, to buy clothes for Naruto. The clothes that he buys aren't anything special, just some simple black and grey shirts, pants, boxers, and 2 pairs of sandals. He also buys a mimic ANBU mask that was shaped similar to a fox head. He then seals everything into a storage scroll, and goes to grab lunch.

* * *

Naruto stirs in his slumber, signaling that he is getting ready to wake up. As he opens his eyes, he notices he is on a bed under a blanket. He also notices that the wounds that he got from the villagers are bandaged. He sits up, albite slowly, so he doesn't hurt himself and reopen any of the nursed wounds. He looks around the room, and takes in his surroundings. He isn't in his own room, he can tell that much. There are Fuma Shurikens, Kusarigamas, Kamayaris, Chigi-rikis, and many other ninja tools mounted on the walls. There are many different ninja vests, hitai-ates with the Konoha symbol, shinobi sandals, fingerless gloves, masks of all types, and many other articles of ninja gear on armor stands and shelves. Naruto sees that one mask peg and armor stand is separated from the others. On it is a mask that looks like some kind of cat, what looks like the armor that an ANBU wears, but is black in color instead of the traditional grey, and the handle of a ninjato, just barely showing over the right shoulder of the armor.

Naruto gets up from the bed, and goes to the bathroom to relieve himself, taking care not to disturb anything in the room. When he enters the bathroom he notices that there are kunai and regular shuriken on a shelf on the wall opposite the shower stall. After relieving himself, he goes and sits back down on the bed, and finally realizes that he is only in his black and orange boxers. He looks around the room, but can't find the clothes that he had been wearing. He sighs, and lies back on the bed, and starts to think. 'Where am I? How did I get here? Why did someone rescue me? I thought that everyone in the village hates me, except for Jijī and Iruka-sensei that is.' He lays there for a few minutes, until a man poofs into existence in the room. Naruto instantly sits up and presses himself against the wall, thinking that he is in danger.

"Ah, so I see you're awake. Are you feeling better?" The man asks.

Naruto is too scared to answer the man verbally, so he just nods his head, still pressing up against the wall.

The man sighs, before walking over to Naruto and kneeling at the edge of the bed. "There's nothing to be afraid of Naruto. The villagers won't hurt you any longer. You're safe here." The man says gently as not to frighten Naruto any more than he already is.

Naruto looks a bit less shaky, but is still pressing up against the wall, "H-how do you know my name? Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?"

"My name is Yuuzuki Tataki. You are in my room, in a hidden area of the ANBU HQ. I rescued you from the villagers that were attacking you. You were in pretty bad shape, so I brought you here, then cleaned and dressed your wounds." Yuu tells Naruto.

Naruto looks at Yuu before replying, "But why would you help me? Everyone in the village except for Jijī and Iruka-sensei hates me. They're always chasing me around and trying to hurt me. I've been called 'Demon' for as long as I can remember, and I think it's because they think I'm the Kyūbi, but I don't know why that is. I've always just wanted to be left alone."

Naruto looks like he's about to start crying, so Yuu gets up so he can sit on the bed, and reaches for Naruto to pull him into a hug. Naruto flinches thinking he's going to get hit, but is surprised when he's not hit, but instead is pulled into an embrace. "Naruto-kun, you don't have to worry about the villagers anymore. I've talked to Hokage-sama and Iruka-san, and they both have agreed that you should become my apprentice. That is...if you want to."

Naruto is speechless. This man, this stranger whom he never met before, wants to take him as an apprentice? "Do you really mean that? Do you really want me as an apprentice?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I would gladly take you as an apprentice. I know everything about you. I know that you have been alone since you were born, that the villagers treat you horribly, and that you are scared for your life. I know everything, more-or-less." Yuu tells the young boy that he's holding.

Naruto finally breaks down and starts to cry, but they're not tears of sadness, they're instead tears of pure happiness. Yuu just sits there holding Naruto, rubbing the boy's back while he cries. He's never been in a situation like this, and tells himself that this is not going to be a common occurrence. He doesn't plan on going easy on the boy while he trains him. He plans on making it so that when the time comes, Naruto will be able to survive on his own, and will be able to look after himself. "Thank you, Yuu-sama." Naruto says quietly.

"You feel better Naruto?" Yuu asks after the boy finally stops crying, and pulls away from him.

Naruto nods, and flashes a foxlike grin, something Yuu may end up seeing a lot in the future. "Yes Yuu-sama. I've just never had someone actually care for me before. I mean there was Jijī and Iruka-sensei, but they usually just stopped by to make sure I had food, got my allowance, and to make sure that I was alright."

Yuu understands where Naruto is coming from, but he can't act like he knows everything that the Sandaime Hokage and Iruka did. He knows they paid Naruto visits, but that is all he knows. "Well now that you're feeling better, why don't we do something about that smell of yours?" Yuu says and pokes Naruto in the belly, making the boy laugh. "Go and take a shower, and I'll make you something to eat. Then we can talk a bit more on what you're going to be doing as my apprentice."

Naruto nods his head and gets of the bed. As he heads to the bathroom, he suddenly remembers that he doesn't have any clothes here. "Yuu-sama, what am I gonna wear after my shower though? I don't have anything beside the boxers that I'm wearing."

"Don't worry about that Naruto, just go take a shower. I'll find you something to wear for when you get out." Yuu replies, chuckling. He knows that he has stuff for Naruto; he just wants to surprise the boy. "Also, don't put the boxers back on, the clean stuff that I find will be sitting on the bed when you get out."

Naruto smiles, and runs to the bathroom to hop in the shower. The shower isn't that hard to use, it has one of those shower heads connected to a hose.

Yuu pulls the storage scroll that has Naruto's new clothes in it out, and pumps a small amount of Chakra into it. The clothes appear in a poof smoke, and Yuu places them on the bed for Naruto to find when he gets out of the shower. He picks up the toy mask, and looks at it, before placing it on one of the shelves, telling himself he'll give it to Naruto later. He then heads to the kitchen to prepare some food for himself and Naruto.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Naruto comes of the restroom completely naked, heads to the bed, and looks at the clothes on the bed. He picks a grey shirt, black boxers, and black pants, and quickly slips them on. He notices that they are almost a perfect fit, just slightly larger than he is; but then again he is just really skinny from malnourishment. He then heads into the kitchen and finds Yuu preparing dinner.

"Do you feel better after that shower Naruto-kun?" Yuu asks without turning around.

"Yea, I actually feel a lot better. Thanks Yuu-sama. I noticed that the clothes you got me are a little bigger than what I was wearing earlier, did you do that on purpose?" Naruto asks after jumping up to sit on the counter behind Yuu.

"Yes, actually I did. I noticed when I was dressing your wounds earlier that you're actually a lot skinnier than most kids your age. I assume it has to do with the fact that you never had anyone to prepare a proper meal for you while you were growing up, and that you had to prepare your own meals with what little experience you know about cooking." Yuu replies to the boy sitting on the counter behind him.

"I see...well thanks for the new clothes Yuu-sama. What are you making for dinner?" Naruto asks after sniffing the air.

"I'm making _**Kamameshi**_ , Naruto-kun. Also, you don't need to keep calling me Yuu-sama, you're making me feel old." Yuu says chuckling. "If you're gonna use honorifics, I'm fine with Yuu-san or even Yuu-sensei when we're training."

"Ok, Yuu-niichan." Naruto replies happily, glad to have someone who's willing to look after him. He is a bit curious as to what kind of training Yuu will be putting him through though. "Niichan, I noticed your armor out there on that armor stand. Are you a part of ANBU?"

Yuu rolls his eyes at Naruto's nickname, then smiles, knowing this was coming. "You're a smart boy, you know that Naruto-kun? I am an ANBU, but I'm a special type of ANBU. If you noted the color of the armor, you may have noticed that it's a different color from the normal ANBU outfit. Have you ever heard of the ANBU known as the Shadow?" Yuu asks Naruto.

Naruto's eyes widen when he hears the name. "Do you mean the Shadow, as in the legend? The one that the parents tell stories about, to their kids? I've heard stories while hiding from the villagers, of an ANBU known only as the Shadow. He is supposedly a last resort, and never fails his job. He's known as a 'God Amongst Men', because of his unrivaled ability in combat."

Yuu chuckles at hearing that. "Yes, Naruto-kun, I mean that Shadow. He's not as much a myth as he's made out to be though. He's like any of the other ANBU around, but he's just better at what he does than the rest. It is also true though that he has never failed a mission before, and he has never been bested in combat. He's even taken on the entire ANBU force, and still came away victorious. Care to guess who you think the Shadow is?"

Naruto wasn't expecting to hear that. Everyone knows that one ANBU alone was hard enough, but to be able to beat the entirety of the ANBU force was unheard of. Yet, here was Yuu saying that it had been done. Naruto thinks about it for a while. Then it comes to him. While he didn't want to believe it, there can't be any other possibility. The black ANBU outfit was more-or-less a dead giveaway since the ANBU all wear grey. "Yuu-niichan...are you the Shadow?"

Yuu turns off the stove, finished making dinner. "So you figured it out Naruto-kun. I knew you could. Very, very few even know my real name, and even then it's kept quiet. My identity is an SS-Class secret. Those who are lucky enough to know my name are; Iruka-san, Hokage-sama, Kakashi-san, and now you. You are very lucky to be given this privilege Naruto-kun, the rest of the ANBU have been trying to figure out my real identity for years. They know what I look like, but they don't know my name."

"I can't believe it! My big brother, the Shadow! That means you must be the strongest in the village if you can beat the entire ANBU force, the official bodyguards of Jijī. That is so cool!" Naruto pretty much shouts. Yuu can't help but laugh at the enthusiasm of the five year old.

"Speaking of Hokage-sama, why do you call him Jijī Naruto-kun? That's very disrespectful. Don't you know how important Hokage-sama is to the village?" Yuu questions Naruto.

"Yes, I know how important he is, it's just that I consider him like a grandfather of sorts. And to be honest niichan, he's an old man. That's why I call him Jijī." Naruto replies to the question.

Yuu blinks twice, then just rolls his eyes, knowing that no matter what he says, he's not gonna change the kid's mind. "Whatever Naruto-kun, let's just go have dinner, and then we can talk about what going to be happening over the next few years with you as my apprentice."

===== _ **Timeskip 1 hour**_ =====

"Starting tomorrow, I am going to start training you how to control your Chakra. As you get better at whatever it is that I teach you, we will move to the next lesson. Know this though, I am not very good when it comes to ninjutsu, so don't expect me to teach you how to use jutsu. I will be focusing solely on taijutsu and training you in the way of the sword. When you turn 6, I will give you a very special, but useful gift. I've accepted the Hokage's terms of what happens as you age. When you turn 10, you will go to the Academy and take the final exam to become a Genin, however you will not remain at the Academy. You will return with me, and we will continue training. When the Chūnin exams come around, you will be placed on a temporary team so that you will be able to participate in the exam. After the Chūnin exams are finished, you will once again return with me and we will continue to train." Yuu explains to Naruto.

"Ok, niichan. So when do we get started?" Naruto asks enthusiastically.

"We can start in a moment. I need to do something first. I'll be right back." With that said, Yuu _**shunshin**_ s to Iruka's house and knocks on his door. It is answered moments later.

"Yuu-san, what brings you here at this time of night?" Iruka asks tiredly.

"I want to know if you'd be willing to help me train Naruto with his Chakra since I don't know very much about Chakra. As you know I'm a taijutsu specialist, not a ninjutsu specialist, so I don't have to use my Chakra very often." Yuu replies.

"I see that you actually took my recommendation seriously and made Naruto your apprentice. I suppose I could lend a hand; besides, I haven't seen Naruto in a while, and I think he would like to see me." Iruka says.

"Thanks Iruka-san, just grab onto my shoulder and I'll take us back to my place." Yuu says to Iruka as he places his hand on Yuu's shoulder. With that, they both _**shunshin**_ back to Yuu's place.

When they arrive, Iruka immediately gets tackled in a hug by a mop of blonde hair. "Iruka-sensei!" Naruto happily says.

"Hey Naruto-kun, how've you been doing?" Iruka asks as he ruffles the 5 year old's hair. "You haven't been causing Yuu-san any problems have you?"

"No, not at all Iruka-sensei. Niichan was telling me that I was going to be his apprentice. The apprentice of _the_ Shadow. It's so cool!" Naruto replies giddily.

Iruka arches an eyebrow and looks at Yuu, who only shrugs. "I see he figured you out, eh?"

Yuu only chuckles whiles rubbing the back of his head. "Yea he did, but how could he not; the armor is a dead giveaway. Not to mention how could I hide anything from that innocent look of his?"

Iruka just rolls his eyes. "Don't be fooled by it, it may look innocent, but underneath there's a mischievous little prankster. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to help Naruto-kun learn how to access and control his Chakra."

Naruto looked at Iruka, then at Yuu. "Why can't niichan teach me Chakra control? He is an ANBU after all."

"Yuu-san can't teach you Chakra control because he doesn't use his Chakra very often. He doesn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu; he uses taijutsu or hand-to-hand combat, and uses weapons like swords, similar to kenjutsu." Iruka explains.

"Oh. I see. Now I see why niichan went and got you Iruka-sensei. You do teach at the Academy, so you would be the better choice." Naruto says.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's start with me explaining what Chakra is. Chakra is energy extracted from cells that Ninja's need to be able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu. To use it correctly the ninja needs to mix their physical energy with their spiritual energy then use special hand seals to activate the technique that they want to use. A ninja must train their physical energy through battles and training, as well as their spiritual energy through meditation and mental exercises in order to control large amounts of chakra when using techniques." Iruka explains, having memorized the scroll that explains Chakra.

"So you're saying that all I have to do is meditate and try to focus on this inner energy, and then bring that energy to the surface?" Naruto asks.

"Pretty much Naruto-kun. But, in reality it's actually easier said than done. Then again, I'm not one to brag, seeing as my Chakra control is passable, albeit barely." Yuu says to Naruto.

What Iruka and Yuu don't know though was that Naruto already has a decent control of his Chakra. And even more of a surprise is that he and the Kyūbi have developed a strong friendship. In fact, their relationship is so strong that, Naruto has already mastered the controlling of the Kyūbi's Chakra and is able to use the Bijū Cloak. He even knows that the Kyūbi's name is Kurama, something the Kyūbi has never told any of his previous vessels. So you can imagine the surprise on their faces when he easily starts to channel his Chakra.

Yuu and Iruka look at each other then back to Naruto, a bit surprised. "Naruto...have you done this before? Because right now you are displaying perfect Chakra manipulation." Iruka says, curious as to how Naruto has so much experience when it comes to Chakra control.

Naruto opens his eyes and looks at Yuu and Iruka. He then cracks his foxlike smile and rubs the back of his head. "Heh-heh. I guess I should've said that I already know Chakra control... how do you think I've lasted as long as I have running from the villagers? Kurama-san, or the Kyūbi as you all call him, has been training me all kinds of things."

That was the last thing Yuu and Iruka were expecting to hear. "Naruto, you mean to say that you know that you have the Kyūbi no Yōko sealed inside of you?" Yuu and Iruka both ask at the same time.

"Yes, and to be honest I have known about it for about a year now, Iruka-sensei, niichan. I understand why it is that the villagers attack me, but it still scares me that they attack me, and confused me when they call me the Kyūbi. What can a 5 year old kid really do against more than 20 angry, and seemingly crazy villagers out to kill him?" Naruto asks a bit sadly.

"Well, I guess since there's nothing that I can teach you about Chakra, I guess I'll head back home to get some rest. I hope that you will consider joining the Academy, but seeing as who will be teaching you, there really won't be much of a point. The kids at the academy will never learn the kinds of things that Yuu-san here can teach you, at least not until they become Chūnin, but even then they won't know half the stuff that Yuu-san does. You'll be fine Naruto, although Yuu-san can be a bit hardheaded." Iruka says, dodging a smack from Yuu. With that said, Iruka vanishes in a poof of smoke, leaving Yuu and Naruto to get ready for bed themselves.

"Well I guess that's that Naruto. We will start your taijutsu lessons tomorrow. You can have the bed tonight; I'll sleep on the floor. I'm going to go get another bed tomorrow, since you'll be staying here from now on. Speaking of which, do you have anything that you need to grab from your old apartment?" Yuu asks the boy.

Naruto shakes his head, "No, there's nothing there that I need to get. I didn't have anything important to me besides the clothes I had, but they got destroyed in that attack earlier today."

With that said, Naruto crawls under Yuu's bed's covers and quickly falls asleep. Yuu heads to the bathroom and grabs the spare blankets out of the closet. He places the blankets on the floor, then moves Naruto's head from under the blankets on the bed to make sure that he can breathe freely, before lying down on the blanket that he placed on the floor. He falls asleep to the quiet snoring of the blonde boy.

############################################

 **Kamameshi=** Rice topped with vegetables and chicken or seafood, then baked in an individual-sized pot

 **Ninjato=** Small ninja sword, similar to the one that Sai carries with him

 **Kusarigama=** A chain with a weight on one end and a sickle on the other

 **Kamayari=** A sickle spear, similar to a Yari but with an extra blade protruding from the main blade

 **Chigi-riki=** A ninja mace; more specifically a Japanized version of the traditional flail

 **Shunshin=** Body Flicker

 **Bunshin=** Clone

 **Kage Bunshin=** Shadow clone

 **Henge=** Transformation

 **Kawarimi=** Change of Body or Substitution


	2. First Mission

The ANBU Shadows

############################################

Chapter 2

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **(So before I start, I'm gonna say that I will be jumping the time period ahead about 3 years or so, just before Naruto's 9th birthday. I'm doing this because I think it'll be a bit easier to write seeing how Naruto will have aged some more and will have gained some more experience with the basics of ninja training. That and I will finally be able to give the mask that I had Yuu get for Naruto as a gift. So without further ado...**_ _ **)**_

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

"Niichan, why are you pushing me to master this technique so hard? I'm getting tired." Naruto complains. He is having a hard time performing _**Bolting Blossom.**_ It is a fairly simple, yet deadly technique that doesn't require any Chakra, so Yuu of course is able to do it; although with Chakra it would be a lot more devastating.

"Come on Naruto-kun, it's a fairly simple technique. If you can master it by tonight I'll get you your own ninjato for your upcoming birthday, plus I'll take you out for some ramen; you know, the good stuff. How does that sound?" Yuu tells Naruto knowing that anything to do with ramen will get the boy motivated.

"You mean that niichan? Awesome!" Naruto shouts with sparkles in his eyes. He then crosses his fingers and says: _**"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."**_ With that, around 200 Narutos now stand on their private training field. Yuu does the same, and creates around the same amount as Naruto so that the clones of the boy can have sparring partners. He knows that any experience the clones gain, when dispelled, return to the caster of the jutsu.

Next thing that Yuu knows is that he's getting attacked by 3 Narutos. He quickly goes on the defensive, sidestepping one clone that tries to punch him in the face, before grabbing said clone and throwing him into one of the other two clones. Both clones dispel in a poof of smoke, leaving Yuu facing the real Naruto. "So what are you going to do now, _brat_?" Yuu taunts, knowing that Naruto hates being called a brat, and that by doing so, pushes Naruto to work harder.

"I'm not a brat!" Naruto shouts, with that he calls upon the chakra of the Kyūbi going into his Bijū Mode, and lunging faster than the speed of sound at Yuu.

Yuu knows he hit a soft spot since Naruto went Bijū Mode. _'Great, wasn't trying to do that. Oh well, time to get serious.'_ _ **"**_ _ **Kyūmon: Iyashino-mon. Aita!**_ _ **(Second Gate: Gate of Healing. Open!")**_ Yuu shouts. With that being done, a green glow appears around Yuu. He then takes off, rocketing towards Naruto. When they finally clash, the impact is so strong that it shakes the entire ANBU complex and leaves a giant crater in the floor. They jump apart from each other, before jumping back and trading punch for punch, kick for kick. Naruto then _**shunshin**_ s behind Yuu, and kicks his legs out from under him. Yuu then falls flat on his back, having the wind knocked out of him. _'If this keeps going I'm gonna be in trouble. I can barely handle him when he's like this. I should end this now."_ After taking a breath and preparing himself, he climbs to his feet and concentrates. _**"**_ _ **Saimon: Jinsei nomon. Aita!**_ _ **(Third Gate: Gate of Life. Open!")**_ Yuu growls, then lunges at Naruto, knocking him into the air. He then performs _**Kage Buyo**_ to get behind the boy, and performs _**Ura Renge**_ , slamming the raging boy into the ground, effectively knocking him out. He hates using the _**Ura Renge**_ because of the pain that comes with it, for both him and the victim; but it is the only thing he could think of that can stop Naruto's rampage. They are both gonna be sore afterwards though.

Yuu slowly and painfully gets up, and after watching the Bijū Cloak vanish from Naruto, goes to and carefully picks up the boy before _**shunshin**_ ing back to their room in the secret portion of the ANBU HQ. He lays the boy on his bed, before stripping the boy to his boxers-for the umpteenth time. He checks the boy over to make sure he isn't injured too badly, then covers the boy up with his blanket. He then heads into the bathroom to take care of his own injuries. After taking care of them, he hops into the shower to wash away the sweat from their 'exercise,' and to just allow himself to think.

* * *

Naruto wakes up all kinds of sore. He notices he was in his bed, and knows Yuu had brought him back so that he can rest and recover. He hears the sound of running water and knows that Yuu is taking a shower. He gets up slowly, strips, and goes to join Yuu in the shower; they had showered together many times before, so it wasn't anything new. As he enters the bathroom, he notices Yuu sitting on the shower floor just letting the water run off of him. He notices the multitude of black, blue, purple, and even yellow bruises covering Yuu's body.

Seeing the bruises, he knows exactly what Yuu had done; _**Ura Renge**_. _'Great, looks like I went on a rampage again.'_ Naruto knows that whenever Yuu is covered in bruises like he is now, it was because of him going on a rampage. The thing is...he never rememberswhat happened during said rampages. He slides the shower door open and joins Yuu. After he sits down across from Yuu he finally speaks. "So I see I went on another rampage, what happened this time?"

Yuu opens his eyes and looks at Naruto before sighing. He chuckles. "Heh, it was my fault you went on a rampage. I called you a brat, so that it would rile you up, but I didn't expect you to go Bijū Mode on me. So I did the only thing that I knew would stop you; I used _**Ura Renge**_ , and man do I hurt everywhere."

"Wait. You mean I went full on Bijū Mode? Damn. How much damage did we cause this time?" Naruto asked.

"Well after you went Bijū Mode, I opened the Second Gate, but was still no match for you. As you know, you only get stronger when you go Bijū Mode. When you kicked my legs out from under me, I had no choice but to open the Third Gate. And well, you can see the result of me doing that all over my body." Yuu replies to the young boy.

Naruto sighs, knowing that he's always causing Yuu problems when they train. The two just sit there enjoying the feel of the water falling upon them for about another five or so minutes, before Yuu gets up to turn off the shower. He gets out and starts to towel off, followed by Naruto who does the same. They both then head to the kitchen after they're dressed in clean sweatpants, so that they can grab a snack.

* * *

It was two hours after their little talk in the shower; and Yuu and Naruto had gone out to Ichiraku's to grab lunch. Even though he had seen it plenty of times, Yuu still didn't know where the seven year old put all the food that he ate. "You know Naruto-kun, for a boy your age, you really can eat. Where the hell do you put it all?"

Naruto just slurps another mouthful of his 'food of the gods,' not answering with words. Yuu rolls his eyes and just thanks the fact that because of being an ANBU, he gets S-Class and SS-Class jobs that pay _really_ well. The amount of food the blonde boy eats costs a fortune.

"You can have _one_ more bowl Naruto-kun. Teuchi-san, can I get the bill?" Yuu asks the small ramen stall's owner. Teuchi adds the price of one more, large bowl to the bill before passing it to Yuu. Yuu pulls out his wallet, counts out the proper amount, and pays the bill. "Teuchi-san, would it be possible for me to talk to you about something, separately?"

Teuchi leads Yuu into the back of the ramen stall. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about Yuu-san?" He asks the white haired ANBU.

"I was thinking. Do you think that it would be possible to get a membership of some kind for Naruto-kun? His birthday is coming up in a month, and I think that a gift dealing with Ichirakus would make him happy." Yuu explains to the ramen stall owner.

"Hmm... Like what kind of membership do you have in mind?" Teuchi asks, a little curious.

"I was thinking something along the lines of; say Naruto-kun buys ten large bowls of ramen, he can get an extra-large one for free on his next visit, or something along those lines." Yuu replies.

Teuchi thinks for a moment before he replies. "I think I could do something like that. You guys are regulars here anyways, and the boy eats more than his fair share. Come by tomorrow, and pick up the stamp-card or whatever it is that I can come up with. I don't have anything made for memberships since we don't normally do them, so I need to come up with something.

"Thanks Teuchi-san. I think that this would make a great gift for Naruto-kun. If you put it in an envelope, with like the Ichiraku symbol or something so he can identify it, I think it would be all the better." Yuu tells Teuchi. "Well, anyway, I think Naruto-kun and I should get going. Thanks for the food Teuchi-san. Oh, and tell Ayame-chan I said hello, would you?"

Teuchi nods his head. "Not a problem Yuu-san. And yea, I'll tell my daughter that you said hello." He leads Yuu back to front of the ramen stall to wait for Naruto to finish his ramen.

Naruto drinks the rest of his ramen broth, thanks Teuchi for the food, hops down off the stool, and follows Yuu out of the stall. "So what are going to do now niichan?" Naruto happily asks.

"Let's see. Why don't we go and see if Hokage-sama will allow me take you on a mission. Of course, it would be anything crazy like assassinations or the sort, but it should be enough to gain you some decent experience. Sound good?" Yuu replies the Naruto's question.

"Really? A mission? That would be awesome!" The young blonde replies giddily.

Yuu just shakes his head at the boy's enthusiasm. "Ok then, grab my hand Naruto-kun and I'll take us to Hokage-sama's office." Yuu then extends his hand out to Naruto so the boy can take it. Naruto grabs the offered hand, and the next thing he knows, they are in the hall of the Hokage Tower outside of the Hokage's office. Yuu knocks on the old oak door that they appeared in front of. _"Come in."_ They hear reply, and they enter the room.

Naruto looks around they enter, having never been in the Hokage's office before. On the right side of the room, there's a scroll rack filled with numerous scrolls of various sizes. On the left side of the room, there are a multitude of pictures and paintings hanging on the wall, depicting various places around the Elemental Nations. On the far side of the room are five huge windows, possibly big enough for two of him to stand side-by-side and still have room to spare. Above the windows are four pictures, each one a painting of the four different Hokages. In front of the windows is a large, old, oak desk. Papers, scrolls, books, and other various objects were neatly arranged on the desk. Seated behind the desk was none other than the Sandaime Hokage himself. He is currently taking a long drag from the old ivory pipe he was holding.

"Hello Yuu, Naruto-kun. What can I do for you two on this fine day?" Hiruzen asks after noting who just entered.

"Hello Hokage-sama, Naruto-kun here and I just got back from having lunch at Ichiraku's, and I think Naruto-kun is a bit bored. So I thought I'd come here and see if it is possible for me to take him out on a mission. I think a C-Rank or even a low B-Rank mission should be enough to satiate his boredom. Naruto-kun is very capable, in fact he's possibly as capable as most Jōnin level ninja from what I have seen." Yuu explains.

"Hmm, if you're going with Naruto, I don't see any real problems with that request. But tell me something, what do you mean by 'Naruto is very capable?'" Hiruzen asks, intrigued by Yuu's claim.

"Hmm...I don't really know how to explain it with words Hokage-sama. I think it will be best for Naruto-kun to just show you." Yuu replies, and after seeing Hiruzen nod in approval, takes a step back from the blonde boy. "Go ahead Naruto-kun, show Hokage-sama your 'cloak...'actually, before you do that; Hokage-sama, do you think it's possible to place a Chakra Barrier and a Damage Control Barrier on your office? I don't want anything getting damaged, or want people freaking out from the Chakra that will be emanating from here."

Hiruzen is a little confused on the odd request by Yuu, but none-the-less, places the two barriers up on his office. Once he's done, he nods to Yuu who tells Naruto to go ahead.

Naruto takes a breath before focusing on the Kyūbi's Chakra. Once he is focused on it, he interacts with it; he molds it, shaping it to fit his small form, and overall controlling it. With that done, he forces it into shape and cloaks it around his body.

His body glows with yellow flames. A black line extends from just below his collar, about eight inches in length. It then branches to either side about an inch from the bottom of that line for about two inches in either direction before extending down the rest of his outfit. In the middle of the two lines there is a circle with the Uzumaki spiral in it, just above the hem of his shirt. On each shoulder there is a circle that is connected across the front of the shirt by a bracketed line. Just under the collar of the shirt are six tomoes. The irises of his eyes are a plasma yellow instead of the usual vibrant cerulean that they usually are. His hair also seems to be moving on its own from the constant flow of Chakra around his body.

To say Hiruzen is shocked would be an understatement. The amount of power that was radiating off the boy was immense, possibly even rivalling that of a Kage-level ninja. He now understands why Yuu had him place the barriers. When Naruto first activated that form of his, he felt himself get shoved into his seat. The other reason was because of how similar the Chakra coming off the boy was when comparing it to the Kyūbi no Yōko.

"This power...it's incredible. Naruto, what exactly is this power that you have, called, if I may ask?" Hiruzen asks the boy.

"I believe Kurama called it the Bijū Cloak, or Bijū Mode." Naruto replied.

"Hokage-sama, Kurama is the official name of the Kyūbi no Yōko. What you are seeing is called the Bijū Cloak. This is only a thing between the Kyūbi and its Jinchūriki host. Naruto has full control over all of the Kyūbi's Chakra, but can easily lose control due to any emotions similar to anger. Anger leads to a different cloak, one where Naruto has no control of his actions what-so-ever. But back to the current cloak of Naruto, as you can tell, because of it being made entirely from the Kyūbi's Chakra, it feels very similar to that of the Chakra of the Kyūbi itself; which is the reason I had you place the Chakra Barrier. I didn't want to frighten the villagers when Naruto-kun powered up. There are upsides and downsides to the Bijū Cloak however. The upside is that the Bijū Cloak increases Naruto's power exponentially, as you have already seen. The downside is that, although he gets stronger the longer he's in Bijū Mode, he also becomes less aware of his surroundings and starts to lose control, as well as the massive toll it takes on his body after he leaves it; leaving him exhausted. I have been helping Naruto-kun learn to control his Bijū Cloak, and as of now, he can maintain it for thirty minutes before he starts to lose control. When Naruto loses control, it's very hard to stop him. You know I hate doing this, but I've had to open the Inner Gates in order to subdue Naruto-kun. The most I've opened is the Third Gate, and you know what opening that gate usually leads to, I presume?" Yuu explains what he has learned in heavy detail to Hiruzen.

"You mean to say that you've had to open the third gate and use the _**Ura Renge**_ against Naruto, he's that powerful?" Hiruzen asked, shocked that Yuu had to resort to that technique. Hiruzen could sort of understand though, in the few minutes that have passed since Naruto powered up, he's noticed the boy's power steadily climbing. It was unbelievable how powerful the boy was.

"Okay Naruto-kun, you can power down now. I don't want you getting too tired on me now." Yuu tells Naruto, who shifts out of Bijū Mode a few moments later.

Naruto looks at Yuu and gives his signature foxy grin while rubbing the back of his head. "Niichan, you act like I get exhausted really easy. You should know by now that I have a tremendous amount of Chakra."

Yuu just ignores Naruto's smart-alack comment and turns back to face Hiruzen. "So Hokage-sama, do you think it would be possible to allow us to go on a mission now that you know that Naruto will be perfectly fine?"

Hiruzen looks at what missions he has currently available, and now that he has seen the power the young blonde gives off when in Bijū Mode, along with knowing that Yuu has been training the boy, he decides to give them a B-Rank Infiltration mission. "I think that you two will be able to handle this mission. Yuu, I'll have a special outfit sent to your room for the mission."

Yuu reads over the mission details, and thinks that this would theoretically be the best mission choice for Naruto. Although he emits a boatload of Chakra when he's in Bijū Mode, when he's powered down, he gives about as much Chakra as any civilian does. "We accept Hokage-sama. We will succeed no matter what." Yuu says.

Yuu looks at Naruto and offers his hand, of which Naruto takes. They then _**shunshin**_ back to their room, where Naruto lets go of Yuu's hand and asks, "So what kind of mission are we going on niichan?"

"We are going on an infiltration mission Naruto. This is a B-Rank mission, but can quickly escalate into an A-Rank or even an S-Rank if we are discovered. That is why I need to know, will you listen to any order that I give while we are on this mission, no matter what? If I tell you to run, then you better run. If I tell you to hide, you better hide. Is that understood? I need to know Naruto. If not, I am going to leave you with the Hokage. Do you understand Naruto?" Yuu asks seriously.

Naruto doesn't know how to respond. He has never seen Yuu so serious before. It kind of scared him. He takes a moment to gather his nerves before responding. "I understand niichan, I will follow any and all orders that you give, even if I have to throw down my own life."

Yuu nods. "Good Naruto, because it's very important that you do." A knock on their door is heard. Yuu knows what that is, and goes to the door to open it. On the floor in front of the door is a set of ANBU armor, albeit much smaller than the armor the rest of the ANBU wear. There is also a mask shaped like a fox. He smirks, _'Crazy old man, I should've expected this.'_ He thinks, then picks up the outfit and heads back inside. He hands the outfit to Naruto before proceeding to strip himself. "Put those on Naruto." He then proceeds to put on his own black ANBU armor.

Naruto is surprised. Yuu had just handed him a set of ANBU armor –– A _legit_ set of ANBU armor. He never thought that he of all people would get to wear one... not yet at least. He puts the outfit on his bed before proceeding to strip out of his current clothes, so he could put on the new ones. After donning the armor, he is surprised to see that it fits him perfectly. Snug fitting, but flexible and aerated. That's when he notices the mask. He picks it up and looks at it, noting how it kind of reminds him of Kurama. He brings the mask to his face and notes how it seems to conform to the shape of his face, as well as stick to it on its own.

Yuu dons his lynx shaped mask, and grabs two ninjatos. His own personal one, and the one he loans to Naruto whenever they train. He turns to Naruto and is surprised to see how _ANBU_ the boy seems to be while wearing the outfit. He had to admit, it suited the boy. It makes him look older than he really is, more mature. He holds out Naruto's ninjato, then shows him how to strap it to the armor, as well as how to put the armguards on properly.

"Naruto-kun, while we are on this mission, you are to refer to me as Lynx. Is that understood? You will be known as...Kitsune. No honorifics what-so-ever, is that understood?" Yuu asks Naruto, who replies with a nod. Yuu places his hand on Naruto's shoulder, and they _**shunshin**_ back into the Hokage's office.

"Ahh, Lynx, I see you got the outfit. That's good, does it fit him?" Hiruzen asks when Yuu and Naruto reappear in his office.

"Yes Hokage-sama. I've already briefed Kitsune on the mission on the mission details. He knows what to do should we get into a sticky situation." Yuu replies.

"Kitsune, eh? It suits him. But enough about him, I have one more person that shall be joining you. Inu, you can come out now." Hiruzen says.

A figure appears out of nowhere. He is dressed in a standard ANBU outfit with a mask in the shape of a dog. His most noticeable feature is his spiky silver hair. He looks at Yuu for a moment, before saying, "So this is the legendary Shadow? Hmm, it seems your reputation belittles you a bit. Who's this?" He asks after noticing Naruto. "Doesn't he seem a little young to be an ANBU Hokage-sama?"

"Inu, I believe you already know who Kitsune is. His hair should be a dead giveaway, since there are so few with that hairstyle." Hiruzen replies.

Inu takes a long look before realizing who it was. "Hokage-sama, is that who I think it is? But... didn't he disappear two years ago?"

"Technically yes, but at the same time, no. What I am about to tell you does not leave this room, is that understood Inu?" Hiruzen asks earning a nod from Inu. "As you know, he did disappear, but that is not entirely true. He was accepted as an apprentice by Lynx. He has been living with, and has been getting trained by Lynx ever since he 'vanished' two years ago."

Inu was surprised; he never would have expected the legendary Shadow to take an apprentice. Everyone knows that the Shadow is brutal, ruthless, and the like. So to see that he also has a soft side is a bit overwhelming. To think he would take an apprentice, well that was just unthinkable.

"Enough of this though, you three must get going on your mission. I expect all of you to return safely, especially you Kitsune. You know why." Hiruzen stated to the older ANBU and the young boy.

"Yes Hokage-sama." The two older ANBU say. Yuu places his hand on Naruto's shoulder, and all three vanish from the room in a poof of smoke.

* * *

The mission was simple. Infiltrate a laboratory unnoticed, find the information storage room, destroy said information, and escape the laboratory unnoticed. It was simple, or at least, it should have been. What Yuu, Naruto, and Inu didn't know was that there are nuke-nin mercenaries guarding the laboratory that they are supposed to infiltrate.

Yuu may not be a ninjutsu or genjutsu specialist, but he had a knack of being able to sense the Chakra from people when he focused his senses. Things just took a turn for the worst. Yuu holds up a hand closed in a fist, signaling the group to stop. "I count five ninja. Three of them have at least Jounin-level Chakra, while the other two are at least Chūnin-level."

"Great, that means this mission just became at least a high A-Class to low S-Class, depending on if we get noticed. Just what we need." Inu says with a sigh.

Yuu thinks for a moment, then has an idea. "Kitsune, this is gonna be difficult, but you are the least likely one to attract unwanted attention; so you are going to be the one to infiltrate and find the data. You shouldn't worry though. If you get in a bind, channel some of your chakra into the seal on the hilt of your ninjato after doing a small blood sacrifice; you know what I mean. When you do that, it'll act as a beacon for me to be able to _**shunshin**_ to you. I will be there in an instant to help. Do the same if you make it to the room where the information is held, and I will help you set up the tags to destroy it." Yuu explains. "Inu, I want you to place a _**henge**_ onto Kitsune to make him look like one of the laboratorians. I would do it, but I'm not very efficient with Chakra, and Kitsune would light up like a signal flare if he did it."

Inu nods before making a half-tiger seal. _**"Henge."**_ Inu whispered. With that done Naruto disappears in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear as a man in a laboratory coat. His voice had also changed to match his _**henge**_ d appearance, and his ninjato was also masked by the _**henge**_.

Naruto then leaves the two ANBU and begins his trek towards the laboratory. He makes it inside with no issues. He isn't even asked for his identification by the gate guard. _'What an idiot, he didn't even bother to check and make sure that I even am a real laboratorian and work here."_ He thinks, then notices a map, and with his good memory, memorizes the whole thing within ten seconds.

He makes his way through the lab, one step at a time, always aware of his surroundings. Following the mental image of the map, he takes a left, then a right, then another right. He goes down a floor, walks straight until he comes to an intersection, turns left, and walks down the hall entering the last room on the right side of the hall. He is in a large room filled with shelves upon shelves of scrolls and books. He senses around, and satisfied that that no one else is around; he releases the henge, bites his finger and channels a small amount of Chakra into his ninjato. A few seconds later, Yuu appears next to him.

"Nicely done Kitsune." Yuu tells Naruto quietly. "Now to place the _Flame Tags_ and get the hell out of here." Yuu pulls around fifty tags from one of the weapon pouches he has, and hands about half to Naruto, who goes around carefully placing the tags in the most effective, yet secretive spots. After placing all the tags he had, he makes his way back to Yuu, who grabs his shoulder, and then _**shunshin**_ s them both back to Inu just as the door to the room opens. The two people entering look around, thinking they sensed someone in the room. When they are satisfied that there is no one in the room, they leave.

* * *

Yuu and Naruto both appear next to Inu in a poof of smoke. He looks to Yuu, then to Naruto with a silent question. Yuu just nods his head. Yuu forms a half-tiger seal. _**"Kai! (Release!)"**_ Yuu growls. The next thing that happens is an enormous fireball shooting into the sky from the direction of the laboratory. All fifty _Flame Tags_ combust at the same time, destroying all of the data, not to mention the entire laboratory.

 _'I think I might've had some experimental explosive tags in there that I forgot to remove. Oops.'_ Yuu thinks, while scratching the back of his head. _'Kami! That was stupid of me not to check the tags. Oh well, it got the job done, that's all that matters.'_

As the trio starts to make their way back to Konoha, Yuu senses that something is amiss. "Heads up you two, I think that we've got company inbound." As soon as the words leave Yuu's mouth, a hail of kunai and shuriken fly from the trees off to their left.

After dodging, all three take up defensive positions with their ninjatos drawn, and held in front of them. Three nuke-nin then appear from the woods where the kunai and shuriken had come from, and land in front of the trio. "Who are you, and why are you here?" One of the nuke-nins ask.

Yuu carefully studies the three nuke-nins before replying. "It's none of your concern." Yuu was a little on edge about the nuke-nin that asked the question; something seemed oddly familiar about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"We order you to drop your weapons and to surrender, if you fail to do so, we will be forced to take drastic measures." The lead nuke-nin says to the trio.

"Well that is not going to happen. Inu, Kitsune...scatter." Yuu instructs. With that, the three Konoha ninja jump into action; Yuu taking the lead nuke-nin, Inu taking the right-most nuke-nin, and Naruto taking the left-most nuke-nin.

"So they sent a brat after me? This is bullshit! Who the hell do they think I am? Oh well, it's your funeral brat." The nuke-nin forms handsigns. _**"Katon: Karyūdan! (Fire Release: Flame Dragon Blast!)"**_ A giant dragon comes from the mouth of the nuke-nin and rushes at Naruto, who dives out of the way just as the dragon slams into the ground where the boy had just been standing.

Naruto rolls to his feet and quickly makes handsigns; he only knows a few jutsus, which is why he mainly focuses on taijutsu. _**"Fūton: Shinkūdama! (Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!)"**_ Naruto takes a deep breath than slams his hand onto his stomach, launching a heavily compressed ball of wind at his opponent.

The compressed ball of air slams into the ninja like a truck, flinging the ninja away. Naruto knows that the attack was just lucky; his opponent probably wasn't expecting such a young kid to know such a high level _Fūton_ technique. "Not bad kid, I gotta give credit where credit is due. But you're in for a world of hurt now." The nuke-nin says after recovering from the attack.

The nuke-nin goes through a bunch of handsigns. _**"Katon: Hibarashiri!"**_ The ninja's legs become engulfed in flames, and he takes off in a blur of red, orange, yellow, and grey. He appears in front of Naruto _**"Honokyoku!"**_ He kicks Naruto with a flame enhanced leg, sending Naruto flying and slamming through trees.

Naruto recovers, and stands sideways on the trunk of a tree he stopped near. He looks at the nuke-nin, but his eyes are different. They are no longer a solid, piercing cerulean; they were more of a crimson color on the outside and fading back into his piercing blue color near the pupil. He has two tomoe in his right eye, and three in his left. The eyes are also divided into 3 circular segments, with the tomoe in the second segment. _**"Akumagan. (Demon Eye.)"**_ Naruto says barely above a whisper.

With his _Akumagan_ activated, everything appears more clear and easy to decipher. It is as if his visual senses are on overdrive. Drawing on the Kyūbi's Chakra, a ghastly red aura appears around Naruto's legs; then he shoots forward like a bullet towards the nuke-nin, leaving the tree and the ground the tree was rooted in, destroyed. _**"Kitsune no Koenga! (Fox's Blazing Fang!)"**_ Naruto says, while jumping, then front-flipping and delivering a devastating Kyūbi Chakra enhanced axe kick to the head of the nuke-nin. He then goes through hand signs. _**"O'odama Hōsenka! (Giant Phoenix Flower!)"**_ A massive Kyūbi Chakra enhanced flame blasts from Naruto's mouth, engulfing the nuke-nin in an inferno of flames. As the flames die, Naruto sees that the ninja is now a blackened pile of writhing flesh. _'I doubt he's gonna be moving while in that condition anytime soon.'_

Naruto hops back, and as he touches the ground his _Akumagan_ fades, leaving the boy panting. _'Damn, I forgot how much Chakra the_ Akumagan _uses, but whatever, I think my job her is done. Now to see if Yuu or Inu need a hand.'_ As he walks away, he gets about ten steps before he feels a sharp pain between his shoulders. He looks back and sees that the nuke-nin is still alive, and is kneeling with his arm slightly extended.

 _'This bastard doesn't know when to give up and stay down, does he?'_ Naruto thinks to himself. He pulls out his ninjato and _**shunshin**_ s behind the kneeling ninja, then proceeds to slit the nuke-nin's throat. The ninja collapses to the ground, dead. Naruto then starts walking away to locate Yuu or Inu.

Naruto walks for around five minutes before he senses a Chakra signature about two hundred yards from his location. As he heads towards it, he is surprised by the devastation around him. Toppled trees, destroyed boulders, craters pockmark the ground, kunai and shuriken are scattered everywhere, and the ground is heavily scorched. It looks like a war zone that he has stumbled upon. Kneeling on the ground about twenty feet away was Inu, panting trying to catch his breath. Lying on the ground behind him, with a hole where his heart should've been, was the nuke-nin that Inu had fought.

When Inu finally notices Naruto's presence, he looks up and notices that the boy doesn't seem too injured. "Ah, Kitsune. Glad to see that you are okay. I take it that your fight wasn't too much of an issue?"

Naruto looks at Inu before shaking his head. "It was a tough fight, but he was probably the weakest of the three. He actually forced me to activate my _Akumagan_. But in the end, he still perished." Naruto replies, before realizing that he just told Inu about his dōjutsu.

Inu doesn't know what the _Akumagan_ is, but he assumes from its name, that it is some form of dōjutsu. _'I wonder what the_ Akumagan _is. I wonder if it's similar to my_ Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eye) _or the Hyūga's_ Byakugan (All Seeing White Eye)... _Maybe it's something completely different altogether. I'll have to remember to ask him about it at a later time.'_

Inu stands up slowly, and heads over to Naruto, quickly checking over the boy's injuries before they head out to find Yuu. After walking for about three minutes they feel the ground rumble, then see a plume of dust in the air. The same thought crosses their mind. _'That's Lynx. / That's Yuu.'_ The two then begin jogging in the direction of the dust plume.

When the two arrive into the destroyed clearing, they see Yuu slowly walk out of the giant crater in the ground. His exposed skin was a light-reddish hue, and he had a faint greenish glow around his body. Naruto knows exactly what it is the moment he sees it, having seen Yuu use the Inner Gates before. However it takes Inu a moment to recognize what it is.

 _'From the power emitting from niichan, I'd say that he opened just one gate. That means that the large explosion we saw was likely the_ **Omote Renge (Primary Lotus)** _...great, just after he recovered some from the_ **Ura Renge** _he used on me too.'_ Naruto sighs. He knows Yuu would only open the Inner Gates if the opponent was too much for him to handle with his normal taijutsu and swordplay.

The two ninjas see that the glow is fading, and that the exposed skin is slowly returning to normal. Yuu then falls to one knee, panting. _'That was a bit harder than I was expecting. But thanks to Naruto-kun always keeping me on my toes when we train, at least I'm not out of shape. But I am always sore, that's for sure.'_ He then notices the two Konoha ninjas coming towards him. _'Naruto-kun seems fine other than a few burns and scratches, but Inu looks as banged up as I do. Looks like Naruto-kun got the weakest of the three nuke-nins.'_

"Lynx, are you okay?" Inu asks when he's close enough to not have to shout.

"I'm fine Inu, just a bit banged up. What about you and Kitsune? How are you two holding up?" Yuu asks his two companions.

"We're both fine Lynx. Do you want me to check your wounds over?" Inu asks Yuu.

"That won't be necessary Inu, we really should get going though before more ninja show up. All the Chakra that was flaring around is bound to attract unwanted attention." Yuu says standing, and then the three Konoha ninjas begin their trek back to Konoha.

* * *

"We have returned Hokage-sama." Yuu informs Hiruzen after gaining permission to enter his office.

"Welcome back Lynx, Inu, Kitsune; how did the mission go?" Hiruzen asks the three ninjas.

"We managed to succeed, however the mission is no longer a B-Rank anymore Hokage-sama. There were nuke-nins from different villages that were hired as mercenaries to defend the laboratory. We still managed to get in, destroy the intelligence, and get out with zero issues. However, as we were returning, we were attacked by two high-class Jōnin and one high-class Chūnin. We were forced to engage and eliminate the enemy ninja. All three of the nuke-nins that attacked us were eliminated by their respectful opponent." Yuu briefs Hiruzen on what happened during the mission.

Hiruzen takes a drag from his pipe. "I see, well then I suppose I will have to tell the client so that you three can get the appropriate compensation. As for Kitsune, well done on your first mission. I had a few doubts that you would be able to handle a Chūnin to Jōnin ranked mission at so young an age, but I see that doubt was in vain. You've made an old man proud, young man."

Naruto nods. "Thank you Hokage-sama, I appreciate your words of praise."

Hiruzen and Yuu are shocked. They both know Naruto never called Hiruzen anything other than Jijī. _'It must be because of the fact that he's currently in the role of an ANBU. Whatever the case, I approve of it.'_ Hiruzen thinks. Yuu smiles behind his mask. _'Huh, the boy seems to be growing up. It might be because of the current situation, but whatever the case, Naruto-kun is growing up.'_

"You three are dismissed. Once I contact the client and work out the payment amount, you will each receive your share of the reward." Hiruzen says to the three, before returning to the paperwork on his desk.

The three ninjas all reply, "Yes Hokage-sama," before _**shunshin**_ ing to their respectful homes. Naruto walks to his bed and takes off his mask before falling face first onto the mattress. "That was tiring niichan. I knew there was high possibility of the mission rank changing, but still, I wasn't expecting to be thrown into a fight against a Jōnin by myself." He says, his voice muffled by the mattress.

Yuu takes off his mask before heading over and sitting on the edge of Naruto's bed. "You did very well Naruto-kun. I knew you would be able to handle a mission like this if things had gotten out of hand. I didn't sense your Bijū Cloak while we were fighting. How come you didn't use it?" Yuu asks, curious.

Naruto rolls over and sits up, before crossing his legs. "You don't know this yet niichan, but I have a dōjutsu; as well as the Bijū Cloak. It's called the _**Akumagan**_." The boy says, while focusing Chakra into his eyes. "It is a dōjutsu that can only be wielded by the Jinchūriki host of the Kyūbi no Yōko."

Yuu takes a long look at Naruto's eyes, having never seen a dōjutsu quite like it. He could feel the malevolence radiating off the boy, but it was miniscule when compared to that of the Bijū Cloak. "How long have you had this Naruto-kun?"

"I've had it for about two months, although I don't use it very often because of how fast it burns through my Chakra stores. I can only manage to keep it active for about eight minutes at most, before I become completely exhausted." Naruto replies.

"I see. Well, I guess the more you learn about your abilities, the better. I think you should get some rest, Naruto-kun. It's been a long day, and I'm sure you're exhausted." Yuu tells the blonde.

"Okay niichan." The boy replies before getting off his bed. He strips out of the ANBU armor and tosses it onto the bed, then heads to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Yuu sighs, then proceeds to strip out of his own armor, before putting on a pair of sweatpants. He grabs Naruto's outfit and leaves the room to toss the armor into the wash. He re-enters the room and heads for the kitchen to grab a quick bite. He makes two bowls of instant ramen, knowing that the boy will be hungry when he gets out of the shower.

Five minutes later Naruto walks out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts, his hair sparkling from a lack of a thorough drying. He sniffs the air and smiles, smelling the ramen that Yuu had prepared. He walks to and sits down at the table to eat while Yuu heads to take a shower of his own.

As Naruto eats, he thinks about the day's past events. He is a little curious to know more about Inu, but figures he will find out more in the future to come. Finished eating, he tosses the empty bowl into the trash before heading to his bed and lying down. He hangs the mask resting on his bed on a headrest post, before quickly falling asleep.

Yuu walks out of the bathroom ten minutes later, and heads for his bed. He notices the blonde boy sleeping on top of his covers, and rolls his eyes. He goes over, picks up the sleeping boy so he can access the blankets, and pulls them to the foot of the bed. He then lays the boy back down before covering him. He smiles before turning to head to his own bed. He crawls under the covers before quickly falling asleep himself.

############################################

 _ **(And with that Chapter 2 is done. I hope my fight scenes were good enough to satisfy your guys' tastes, they aren't easy to write. +Rep to those who can write some amazing battle scenes, they're just not my forte. Also can anyone guess who the ANBU Inu really is? Props if you guess correct. Ja ne.)**_

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 **Bolting Blossom:** The person executing this kenjutsu/taijutsu hybrid dash at the enemy and slashes them with their weapon before kicking their opponent airborne; before jumping above the opponent, then delivering a heavy blow, sending the enemy crashing into the ground. (It is used in **Naruto Shippūden: Naruto vs. Sasuke** by Sakura and Sasuke)

 **Kage Buyo:** Dancing Leaf Shadow

 **Dai ni gēto: Iyashino-mon. Aita!:** Second Gate: Gate of Healing. Open!

 **Dai san gēto: Jinsei nomon. Aita!** **:** Third Gate: Gate of Life. Open!

 **Ura Renge:** Primary Lotus (Requires the Third Inner Gate to be released)

 **Kai=** Release (Usually used when setting off a non-timed paper bomb, or dispelling a genjutsu)

 **Fūton: Fūryūdan:** Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast

 **Fūton: Shinkūdama:** Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet (Think of the move Shukaku does when battling Naruto and Gamabunta during the Chūnin exams)

 **Katon: Hibarashiri:** Fire Release: Running Fire

 **Honokyoku:** Blaze Kick (Doesn't require any hand signs since the user has to have their legs engulfed in flames for the technique to work in the first place)

 **Sharingan:** Copy Wheel Eye  or Mirror Wheel Eye

 **Byakugan:** White Eye  or All Seeing White Eye

 **Tomoe:** Comma shaped

 **Akumagan:** Demon Eye (Similar to that of the _Sharingan_ and _Rinnegan_ in design, but has six tomoe and only 3 segments when completed, as well as the abilities of both the _Sharingan_ and the _Byakugan_.)

 **Kitsune no Koenga:** Fox's Blazing Fang (Can only be used when Naruto has the _Akumagan_ active)

 **O'odama Hōsenka:** Giant Phoenix Flower (Can only be used when Naruto has the _Akumagan_ active)

 **Omote Renge:** Primary Lotus (Requires the First Inner Gate to be released)


	3. Dōjutsu Training - Part 1

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter 3 – Part 1

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **I don't know how to continue writing on this story with Naruto as a kid, so I'm going to skip to Naruto's ninth birthday, then I'm going to skip ahead about two years to the day of the Academy graduation exams. Also Naruto is going to be a year younger than the rest of the students. Sorry to those who don't like timeskips, but writing stuff based on topics the anime and manga don't really discuss is kinda difficult. So anyway, without further ado...**_

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Naruto has no idea what is going on, but Yuu is acting suspicious. All he knows is that they are walking to the Hokage Tower instead of just _**shunshin**_ ing there. "Niichan, why are we walking to Jijī's office? Why don't we just _**shunshin**_ there?"

"Because it's a nice day, and we always _**shunshin**_ there, that's why. Besides, exercise is good for you. I've told you that many times before Naruto-kun." Yuu replies to the newly-turned nine year old. They are walking so that things could finish being prepared for Naruto's party. They are walking to buy time.

"If you say so, niichan." Naruto says with a slight frown, not impressed with Yuu's answer.

They walked for another fifteen minutes in silence. Yuu seemed to be getting a decent amount of attention from the villagers, he was apparently very popular with the younger women. He doesn't seem very interested though. _'Heh, all mission seriousness, no time for leisure.'_ Naruto thinks. Upon reaching the Hokage Tower, they enter then proceed up the stairs and walk until they reach the Hokage's Office. Yuu knocks, then they wait for permission to enter.

After they gain permission to enter, and open the door to go in, Naruto notices two things. One, the amount of people in the room; and two, the presents on the Hokage's desk. "Happy Birthday Naruto!" The people in the room all shout as the two walk into the room.

Naruto is speechless, he had never had an actual birthday before. Besides the ones he had with Yuu where he usually got some new clothes, he had never officially celebrated his birthday. He was so happy, that tears started to roll from his eyes. Yuu just grabs his shoulder and lightly squeezes it. The boy recognizes a handful of people. He notices Teuchi and his daughter Ayame, Hiruzen of course, the Hokage's secretary, and a few others. He also notices a few ANBU, one of which being Inu.

"I...I don't know what to say. I'm pretty much at a loss for words." Naruto says admittedly.

"Well, if you don't have anything to say, then why not come open these presents instead, Naruto-kun." Ayame says.

Naruto walks over and is handed a small gift. He unwraps it then opens the box. Inside is a black pendant with the Uzumaki spiral on it. On the back he notices a multitude of small kanji. He assumes it was a seal of some kind, but can't be certain.

The next gift comes from Teuchi in the form of an envelope. Inside the envelope is what Naruto assumes to be a punch-card of some kind along with about a dozen coupons for free bowls of ramen. "It's a membership card Naruto-kun. Yuu-san asked me to create a membership program for you since you two come in so often." Teuchi tells a slightly confused Naruto, who is still trying to figure out what the punch-card is for.

The third gift is handed to him by Inu. It is beautifully crafted ninjato. It has a black blade that when tilted to a different angle, turned into a dark orange. Along the blade was a something written in calligraphic-kanji, but Naruto couldn't decipher it. The hilt had an intricate yet beautiful dragon design on it.

The rest of the gifts were mostly just clothing. He got shirts with various designs on them, pants that were similar to cargos, but designed for ninjas, shorts of various designs, and a few new pairs of sandals. Naruto was so happy that he didn't know how to express his happiness. It was the best day of his life, or so he thought.

Yuu could literally see the happiness on the boy's face. He had asked Hiruzen to hold a couple of _special gifts_ under his desk, and to not give them out while the rest of the guests were around.

Since all the presents had been opened, the guests decided to dig into the cake that had _mysteriously_ appeared in the room. _**(Haha, Yuu can be so sly sometimes.)**_ The only ones who knew where the cake came from were; Yuu of course, Naruto, Inu, and Hiruzen. Everyone else was clueless, even the other ANBU.

One hour later, the guests of Naruto's party left, leaving Naruto, Yuu, and Hiruzen. "So Hokage-sama, do you mind bringing out the lasts of the presents?" Yuu asks after the door had shut. Naruto looks at Yuu, then to Hiruzen, confused.

"What do you mean niichan? I already opened all the presents, didn't I?" Naruto asks.

"Well...I wouldn't say that you opened _all_ of them Naruto-kun. You see, these are very special gifts. Ones that took a lot of time and effort to get ahold of." Yuu tells the blonde nine year old. "These gifts were not easy to get a hold of, so I think it's best that not everyone knows about them until you are ready to tell about them, but it's your choice."

Naruto watches Hiruzen go behind his desk and bend down to grab something. When Hiruzen stands again, he is holding two boxes and a leaflet of papers, of which he places on his desk. Yuu grabs the larger of the two boxes, and hands it to Naruto.

Naruto opens the box, inside of it is an ANBU outfit. But not just any regular ANBU outfit, it's exactly like Yuu's except smaller in size so that it'll fit him. "Niichan, this is exactly like yours."

Yuu nods, grabbing and holding the smaller gift. "Yes, it is _exactly_ like mine Naruto-kun. From the Kevlar-infused fabric, to the adamantium plates built in for defense from projectiles, to the numerous pouches and pockets built into the armor. It's heavier than standard ANBU gear, but it's just as flexible and more durable." Yuu explains before handing the smaller box to the birthday boy.

Naruto places the outfit onto Hiruzen's desk before taking the gift from Yuu. He opens it and pulls out the fox mask that he had worn during their mission a month ago, at least he thinks it's the same mask. He notices that the mask is slightly thicker than he remembers, and he can feel...Chakra running through it?

"Naruto-kun, that is an official ANBU mask. The one you were given on the mission a month back was a prop, it was marked with a secretive Chakra detector seal, that measured your Chakra levels. The one in your hands, however is real. You can probably tell that it is a bit thicker, and that you can _feel_ it. What your feeling is a very faint Chakra signature. Chakra runs through the mask to protect the wearer from scrutinizing eyes. It is impenetrable to the gaze of the _Sharingan_ and the _Byakugan_. As you know, ANBU identities are secrets, so the masks are designed to keep them secrets." Yuu explains.

Hiruzen picks up the leaflet of papers. "Naruto, Yuu has gone to the council, and has fought tooth and nail to gain the ability to do what has been stated within these papers. I want you to read through them."

Naruto takes the papers. But before reading them, he looks at Yuu, who only smiles. He then looks back to the papers and proceeds to read them.

 _ **NARUTO UZUMAKI-NAMIKAZE**_

 _It has been noted that a certain Yuuzuki Tataki has seen potential in a certain Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. He has brought it to the attention of the Ninja Council that Naruto suffered a harsh childhood, growing up without the care of any parents, and constantly being harassed and attacked by the villagers claiming that he is a demon. Yuuzuki Tataki has also stated that he has accepted Naruto as an apprentice and has been training him to be able to defend for himself, and if need be, to help protect the village in times of need. He has stated that he has taken Naruto on a B-Ranked Infiltration mission that was approved by the Sandaime Hokage. However, the mission turned into an A-Ranked mission when the group consisting of; Yuuzuki Tataki, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, and another ANBU operative were forced into engaging three nuke-nins originating from other villages. From what we were told, Naruto had engaged and defeated his Jōnin opponent with little difficulty, only receiving a minor shuriken wound between his shoulder blades, a few scrapes, and a few minor burns from fire-based ninjutsu. It has been ruled that one Yuuzuki Tataki shall be given permission to adopt one Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze._

The rest of the leaflet discussed Naruto's new rights, qualifications, and other important details. Naruto was completely mind-blown. _'Is this for real? Did he really do all this...just for me? This means that I'll finally have a family to call my own.'_ He finally gets over the shock of what he just read. "Did you really do this all, just for me niichan?" Naruto asks Yuu, while struggling to hold back his tears of sheer happiness. _'I won't be alone anymore.'_

"Yes, Naruto-kun. It was not an easy thing to do. The Civilian Council members are a bunch of stuck-up nobodies that only worry about their own safety. They were trying to say that you were too dangerous, too unpredictable, blah blah blah. But in the end, the Ninja Council over-ruled the Civilian Council, something they weren't too happy about. My reputation allowed me to be able to pull a few strings here and there. So yes, as of today, you are now Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze Tataki. Although, you don't have to use your old surname if you don't want to." Yuu tells the blonde boy.

Naruto pretty much throws himself at Yuu, no longer able to keep his tears of happiness at bay. Yuu just holds the boy and rubs his back. He feels good knowing that he did something great for someone that had such a terrible childhood. "Thank you niichan." Naruto whispers barely loud enough for Yuu to hear, before pulling away from the white-haired ANBU having run out of tears.

Hiruzen gently coughs into his hand reminding the two that they're still in his office. "Well, now that that's out of the way, what are you going to do now, Naruto _Tataki_?"

"I'm going to keep doing my best, learning everything I can from niichan that he tries to teach me. I have a new life now, and I'm going to live it to the fullest." Naruto says enthusiastically.

Hiruzen and Yuu only chuckle at the blonde's enthusiasm. Yuu is glad to have been given permission to adopt the blonde. He sees the boy as the little brother he never had, and he's always brightening the mood. Hiruzen was just happy to know that the rambunctious child that caused mayhem in the past, was a more mature person. He knew that Naruto needed a family figure, but the council had just been so stubborn. How Yuu had pulled it off, he would never know, but he had to give credit where credit was due; that and he knew the blonde boy was in good hands.

"Well, I guess you two should get going. That is, unless you plan to stay and help me with my paperwork?" Hiruzen asked, raising an eyebrow. Naruto and Yuu just look at eachother, the same thought running through their minds. _'Uhh...Hell no!'_ With that the two Tatakis _**shunshin**_ out of the office, leaving Hiruzen alone. He just blinks twice. "Well, it was worth a try." He says to himself. Naruto reappears for a moment to grab his forgotten gifts before disappearing again. Hiruzen scoffs. _'Tch, That kid..."_

* * *

Naruto reappears back in their room with his gifts in his arms, which he places on his bed. "Hey Naruto-kun, you wanna go out and get some ramen to celebrate your birthday? My treat." Yuu calls out from the kitchen.

Naruto surprises Yuu by telling him that he's not hungry, and that he would rather want to go to the hot springs and just relax. "Whatever you want Naruto-kin, it's your birthday. I just thought you'd want to grab some ramen though.

With that the two Tatakis both strip, grab a towel from the bathroom, and _**shunshin**_ to the hot spring they usually go to. As usual there's no one there. They both unwrap the towels from their waist, place them on a nearby rock after folding them, and then ease themselves into the hot water, sighing as they go.

========== _ **Two Years Later**_ ==========

"Naruto-kun, time to get up. You're going to be late." Yuu tells the sleeping blonde. Naruto just groans, "Two more minutes, niichan." He hears the blonde say. "No Naruto, now. You need to shower, eat, and get ready for the Academy Graduation exams, you know that. Now get your lazy ass out of bed, before I make you get out of bed!" Yuu says, starting to get irritated. Naruto still refuses to budge.

"Alright Naruto, you asked for it." Yuu says. He forms a tiger seal while walking up to Naruto's bed. _**"**_ _ **Sennen Goroshi! (One Thousand Years of Death!)"**_ Yuu shouts, shoving the extended fingers where the sun don't shine; causing the boy to lurch forward and slam his head into the headboard. "What the hell did you do that for niichan?!" Naruto shouts while rubbing his throbbing head.

"I told you to get up, and that if you didn't, I was gonna make you get up. Now get your ass in the shower, and get ready. You need to be there in a hour." Yuu replies.

"Why do I need to take this stupid exam anyway niichan? I already know all the things that are taught in the Academy." Naruto complains while heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

"Because Naruto-kun, you aren't a legitimate ninja yet, that's why. When you pass it, I'll have a surprise waiting for you here. Now get a move on." Yuu tells the stubborn blonde.

"Fine, fine, jeez niichan, you can be a real slave driver sometimes." Naruto muses.

Yuu just ignores the blonde and heads to kitchen to prepare breakfast. He makes eggs, bacon, sausages, hashbrowns, and toast. He grabs orange juice from the fridge. Ten minutes later, Naruto walks out of the bathroom in a two piece jumpsuit. _**(It's similar to the one he wears in the Anime, except it's not orange and blue, and doesn't have the cotton collar.)**_ It's mostly dark grey with red trimming. On the back is a fox curled up, asleep, with the Uzumaki Crest above it in red. On each sleeve, mirrored, is an intricate, abstract design. It is currently unzipped, so you can see the fishnet underarmor-shirt. The pants are also dark grey with a red stripe running the entire length of the legs. The pants are those kind that can be unzipped at the knees to become shorts. He is wearing the Uzumaki pendant that he got for his ninth birthday, although he never not wears it.

"You look good Naruto-kun. So are you all prepared and finished with the necessities?" Yuu asks.

"Yes niichan. Everything is completed." Naruto replies, while sitting down at the table. Yuu prepares two plates, then heads to sit down at the table himself, passing Naruto his plate as he passes him.

"So Naruto-kun...the test should be a piece of cake. I believe all that you need to know is the _**Henge**_ and the _**Bunshin**_. You will also need to be able to navigate through a dark room within a ten minute time period. I assume that you've been honing your skills with your _Akumagan_?" Yuu asks.

Naruto nods. "Yes niichan. I can now maintain the _Akumagan_ for forty minutes before I become exhausted. You already know that I can maintain the _Bijū Cloak_ for five hours."

"That's good Naruto-kun, only use the _Akumagan_ to make it through the room, but try not to let any of the other kids know about it, okay? We don't want you drawing any more attention to yourself than necessary. Also, please try to refrain from being a showoff Naruto-kun." Yuu asks the blonde.

"Okay niichan, I'll try not to be a showoff." Naruto replies, but knows that he's going to show off a little bit anyways. Nothing too dramatic though, just enough to _'wow'_ the other kids.

The two Tatakis finish eating in silence before Naruto _**shunshin**_ s to the front of the Academy, followed closely by Yuu, who quicky puts up a _**henge**_ to disguise himself. They enter the Academy and head to the room where most of the other kids that are being tested have already arrived. Naruto heads to sit at one of the tables, while Yuu stands at the front of the room in a corner, observing the rambunctious students. He notices one that's the attention of most of the girls in the room, one of the kids is stuffing his face with a bag of chips, a third one seems to have his head lost in the clouds, a girl seems to be looking at Naruto with a shy look, there's a kid with a dog on his head; who he assumes in an Inuzuka; another one seems to just be drawing, and the last one he comes to seems to have Chakra signatures moving throughout his body; whom he assumes in an Aburame.

Iruka then enters the room, taking note of the chaos in the room, before spotting Yuu; but doesn't recognize him at first. Yuu drops his _**henge**_ for a split second allowing Iruka to who he really was. The Chuunin glances around the room before landing on Naruto. He then walks up to Yuu, "I assume you're here to see how Naruto-kun does with the graduation exam?" Iruka asks quietly. Yuu just nods, and Iruka then returns to the middle of the room, before shouting to the kids that the exams were beginning.

The kids finally quieted down, and that's when they finally noticed Yuu standing in the corner, quiet as a mouse. The kids began to whisper amongst themselves about who he was, but no one knew. Except for Naruto and Iruka that is.

"I will call you up one at a time so that you can perform both the _**Bunshin**_ and the _**Henge**_ jutsus." Iruka then began to call names. To Yuu's surprise and the class' amusement, there were a few kids who couldn't perform a complete _**henge**_. However, everyone was easily able to make at least three _**bunshins**_. He learned that the boy that the girls were fawning over was Sasuke Uchiha. The pink-haired fawn was Sakura Haruno, and the platinum-blonde fawn was Ino Yamanaka. The one stuffing his face was Chōji Akimichi. The daydreamer was Shikamaru Nara. The girl that was staring at Naruto was Hinata Hyūga. The kid with the dog was Kiba Inuzuka. The one that was drawing is called Sai, no last name for some odd reason. And the one with the multitude of Chakra signatures was Shino Aburame.

"Next up, Naruto Tataki." Iruka called out. The rest of the kids finally noticed that Naruto was even in the room. Yuu heard questions and comments like; 'Who is he?', 'Have you seen him before?', 'Those whiskers are cute.', and a whole bunch of other nonsense.

 _'I'm going to have fun with this.'_ Naruto thought as he made his way to the front of the room, smiling foxily. "First perform the _**Bunshin**_ jutsu. Then do the _**Henge**_ jutsu." Iruka told the blonde.

 _ **"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."**_ Naruto mutters quietly after quickly making a cross seal with his fingers. Three clones then poofed into existence next to the blonde. Each blonde then made a half-tiger seal. _**"Henge."**_ All four Narutos say in unison. All four disappear in a poof of smoke, and when the smoke clears stand in their places...were the Four Hokages. No one, not even Yuu or Iruka were expecting Naruto to do that. The four _**henged**_ Narutos then proceeded to walk around the room. The kids were all ecstatic, and when they realized they could actually touch the _**bunshins**_ , it made them all the more ecstatic...if that was even possible. Yuu and Iruka just looked at eachother with sweatdrops. The Four _'_ Hokages' then made their way back to the front of the room before dispelling in a poof of smoke, leaving a grinning Naruto.

"That was amazing!", "That was so cool!", "How did you do that?" Came the excited cheers of all the kids at once...well, except for Sasuke who just hn'ed. _**(Sasuke is just Sasuke, never impressed with anyone or anything.)**_

"Well Naruto, that was certainly impressive. To combine both the _**Kage Bunshin**_ _and_ the _**Henge**_ , as well as transform into the Four Hokages was brilliant. I give you a definite pass." Iruka informs the blonde.

Yuu beckons to get Naruto's attention, then points to the door for disappearing in a poof of smoke. Naruto walks out the door, and looks around to find Yuu. He finds him to the right of the door, a little bit of aways from the door. "So, what's up niichan?"

"Really Naruto-kun, the Four Hokages? Don't you think that was maybe a little bit overboard? The _**Kage Bunshins**_ were fine, but why the Four Hokages?" Yuu asks.

Naruto smiles his signature foxy grin. "Well, I thought that I would show off a little bit. It's not exactly my fault that I'm a natural born prankster, niichan. Plus I thought that it would be a good way to show off my knowledge on the history of Konohagakure."

"Whatever Naruto-kun, just don't showoff too much, okay? I don't want you getting into trouble." Yuu says and ruffles the boy's blonde hair, before pushing the boy back in the direction of the room. There were only a handful of people left who still needed to take the exam. Yuu just poofed back into his corner, while Naruto walked back to his seat; gaining a few curious looks from some of the kids.

After the last few kids performed their jutsus, Iruka told the kids that they still had one more test. "Okay. Your final test will be to accurately navigate through a dark room filled with dead ends, traps, and Chūnin instructors as obstacles. You will have ten minutes to make it through the room in order to pass the exams. If you fail to navigate through and exit, or are incapacitated by one of the traps or instructors, you will fail and will have to wait until next year to try again."

The class then followed Iruka as he led them to a large building outside of the Academy. The building had five doors on one side, and five doors on the opposite; which meant five kids would be entering into the building at the same time every tenth minute. Kids started entering into the building, and seeing how Naruto was near the back, he was going to likely be the last group to enter. "Next set: Hinata Hyūga, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sai. Naruto was sitting on the ground, meditating; clearing his thoughts in preparation for the use of his _Akumagan_. "Final set; Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Chōji Akimichi, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Tataki." Naruto opens his eyes and stands up.

As Naruto approaches the door, he hears a small buzzer sound; and the door unlocks. Naruto opens the door and walks in. As soon as the door closes, he is instantly engulfed in solid darkness. He focuses Chakra to his eyes. _'Akumagan._ ' He thinks to himself. His eyes begin to glow a faint crimson and azure, respectively. Now that he could see, he begins making his way through the building, always keeping track of his surroundings. He disarms and passes traps that would hurl shuriken and kunai, hops over pits of icy water, and walks over rickety logs suspended over seemingly bottomless pits. He turns a corner and freezes in his tracks before quickly retreating behind the corner again. He had stumbled upon one of the Chuunins hiding in the building. He forms three handsigns. _**"Tataki Ōgi: Eiōka. (Tataki Secret Art: Shadow Walker.)"**_ He whispers, then literally melts into the shadows. He sneaks up behind the Chuunin, and with a quick chop to the back of the neck, knocks the man out. He then continues through the rest of the building, keeping himself hidden within the shadows. He makes it the exit without any other issues. He quickly deactivates his _Akumagan_ and his _**Eiōka**_ , then steps out into blinding afternoon sunlight.

As he exits the building, he takes note of the number of people who had made it through the exam. There are still two minutes left on the exam for the ones still inside, but it seems as though twenty percent had flunked. As the final two minutes run out, the remaining four barely make it in time to pass. Ino, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Chōji, Sai, and Shikamaru had all made it through; along with a bunch of other kids he didn't remember the names of.

Iruka and Yuu-still in his _**henge**_ -appear in a poof of smoke, gaining the attention of all the kids. "Congratulations to all of you. You have all successfully completed the Academy Graduation Exams, and you are all now Genin. You are all to return to the Academy building in one week's time to meet up with your Jōnin instructors. Now, come up and form a line so that you may receive your hitai-ate (ninja headband), and then you can be on your way." Iruka announces.

The kids all form a line, excited to have passed the exams, and to officially be ninja. The only ones not freaking out were Naruto and, of course, Sasuke. Naruto had already done ninja missions with Yuu, so he was technically a ninja before he even took the exams. "Congratulations Naruto-kun, here's your hitai-ate. Also, you don't have to worry about coming back to the Academy in a week, since Yuu-san is training you." Iruka says to the blonde quietly, so none of the other kids would hear, while handing Naruto his hitai-ate. Naruto takes it and puts it in his pocket, thanking Iruka. He then walks to Yuu and stands beside him. Some of the kids notice and begin to ask questions quietly amongst themselves; _"Who do you think that man is?", "What is Naruto doing with that man, does he know him?"_ , and other nonsensical questions that no one could answer.

After all the kids receive their hitai-ates, they begin to disperse. Yuu and Naruto just form a half-tiger seal, then disappear in a poof of smoke, surprising a handful of the kids.

* * *

Naruto and Yuu reappear in their room, and Yuu drops his _**henge**_. "Well Naruto-kun, you passed the exams with flying colors, and now you're a full-fledged ninja, so you have all the rights and benefits that a ninja does. Although you technically had them before the exams, but that's beside the point." Yuu states to the young blonde. "Now, as for that gift that I promised you. I have a couple of special _Feature Seals_. They were given to me a long time ago by a friend, and they're very hard to make and get a hold of. You can use one to alter your appearance if you wish. It can't change your body; but it can hide things like scars or blemishes, or change eye or hair color, or even add markings to your skin."

Naruto thinks about it for a second. He's always liked Yuu's silvery hair, and his own whisker birthmarks are too noticeable. "Niichan, I want one that will hide my whiskers, and change my hair color to a silvery color similar to yours."

Yuu couldn't help but smile at the blonde's request. He had seen Naruto staring at him on numerous occasions, but wasn't sure why...until now. "Are you sure Naruto-kun? Once this is done, it cannot be undone, you can only use one seal throughout your life, so make sure you get everything you want with the seal I give you."

Naruto nods. "Yes, I'm sure niichan." The blonde replies enthusiastically.

"Okay then Naruto-kun, I'm gonna give you the seal. All you need to do is visualize what you want done, and then channel your Chakra into the seal." Yuu says handing Naruto a small, but insanely sophisticated looking seal. Naruto tentatively takes it.

He closes his eyes, then visualizes himself with Yuu's silvery hair on his gravity defying spikes. He visualizes that his body has no blemishes, scars, or birthmarks; including his whiskers. He finally visualizes the Uzumaki Crest on his left shoulder, in a dark orange color. He then begins channeling his Chakra into the seal. His blonde hair loses its yellow hue, turns a light grey color, and takes on a metallically sheen. His whiskers and scars slowly fade into nothingness. He then feels a burning sensation on his shoulder, indicating the crest he visualized being seared into his skin. Three minutes later of steadily channeling Chakra into the seal and the changes are complete. The seal then self-combusts, effectively destroying itself.

Yuu looks at Naruto with amusement. His hair is now similar to his own, but with a more metallic sheen, and his whickers are gone. "I approve of the hair color choice Naruto-kun, but why remove your whiskers? I kind of liked them."

Naruto doesn't reply and heads to the bathroom to look in the mirror and admire his new appearance. He then pulls up his left sleeve to look at the spiral design on his shoulder. He nods his head in self-approval before walking back out to sit on his bed. "I got rid of them because they were too recognizable, niichan. All the villagers know that the _Demon Child_ was a spiky blonde, whisker faced child; so what better way to disappear from their radars than to change my hair color and remove the whiskers?"

Yuu nods. "That's a good point Naruto-kun. Oh, and before I forget, I have one more gift for you. But you cannot tell anyone about this, you'll know what it does when the time comes. Remove your shirt Naruto-kun. Yuu then heads to the little table between their beds, and opens a small compartment on it through a small, well-hidden seal. Naruto removes his shirt, a little confused. Yuu walks back to Naruto with a small seal of some kind. "This is going to hurt Naruto-kun." He then places the seal on Naruto's shoulder and begins channeling Chakra into it. Naruto gasps from the sudden shock of pain, but grits his teeth, toughing it out. After two minutes, Yuu backs away, allowing Naruto to look at his shoulder. It is a double, black-frilled spiral design. It looks familiar to Naruto, but he can't tell why. Then he remembers where he's seen it, Yuu has one on his shoulder too.

"Niichan? What exactly is this mark? I know you have one on your shoulder as well, but I still don't know what it is." The silverette asks.

"Like I said Naruto-kun, you will know what it is for when the time comes; I can't really tell you any more than that. Now, how about we head to the hot springs to relax?" Yuu asks the silverette. He notices the boy nod his head, then stand and begin to strip off his clothes. Yuu does the same, heads to the bathroom, wraps a towel around his waist, and tosses the other one to Naruto, who does the same. They both then _**shunshin**_ to their normal spot, however, this time they're not alone.

The person then opens their eyes, which were two different colors; one was red, while the other was black. The person then looked at the newcomers. "Ahh, Yuu-san, nice to see you. Why don't you and your young friend come and join me? The water is perfect."

Yuu knew exactly who this man was, but Naruto was clueless having only seen him with his ANBU outfit on. Yuu chuckled. _'That's right, he doesn't know that my_ young friend _is Naruto-kun. He wasn't there when I gave Naruto the feature seal.'_ "Why thank you Kakashi-san, I think that I will join you. What about you Naruto-kun?"

Kakashi does a double take when hearing Yuu call the silver-haired youth Naruto. "Na-Naruto? Yuu-san, that kid there is Naruto? What happened to his hair and his whisker marks?" He then notices the black design on the silverette's right shoulder. "You didn't." He says seriously. He stands up, uncaring that he is standing in the nude in front of the two silver heads. He walks up to Yuu, grabs him by the arm, and pulls him away from a slightly confused Naruto. "Really Yuu? You gave the boy an ANBU summoning insignia? Do you realize how much trouble you can get in?" Kakashi scolds the white-haired man in a hushed tone.

Yuu just nods. "Yes Kakashi-san, I did. I received permission from Hokage-sama, that when Naruto-kun became a Genin, I could give him the ANBU summoning insignia. You were there during that mission, you know as well as I do that Naruto-kun has earned that insignia, and is more than capable of using it properly. I haven't told him what it does however, I only told him that he will know what it does when the time comes."

Kakashi just looks at Yuu dumbfounded. He can't believe that the Hokage would allow such a young child to be given the right to receive the summoning insignia. "Yuu-san, you do know that he will have to keep it covered at _all_ times, correct? Also, what the hell happened to his hair and his whiskers?"

Yuu just nods again. "I know Kakashi-san. I will also teach him how to unconsciously keep a _**henge**_ in place over the insignia when he's outside of the HQ, just like I do with mine. As for his appearance, I gave him a _Feature Seal_ , as a gift for becoming a Genin.

Kakashi just rolls his eyes and sighs. "You really are something else, you know that Yuu-san?" He asks before returning to the spring and easing himself back into the hot water.

Yuu walks back to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, that mark I gave you is very special. After our soak, I'm going to teach you a trick to always hiding it from scrutinizing eyes." He then unwraps his towel and folds it, places it on a nearby rock, before entering the spring; sighing as he sank into the hot water. Naruto quickly followed suit.

"So Naruto, I heard from Yuu-san that you are now officially a Genin. That's great news. That means that you are eligible for all the things that a ninja is capable of doing; although you are a more special case, seeing as how you have Yuu-san who is teaching you." Kakashi says before asking a seemingly innocent question. "Naruto-kun, here's a little something for you wrap your brain around. Do you know who I really am?"

"Well, seeing as how niichan called you Kakashi, I will guess that you are Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja, the Sharingan Warrior, or any of the other nicknames that you have earned. You have copied over one thousand jutsus with your _Sharingan_ eye. Why you only have one, no one really knows; and since you aren't an Uchiha by blood, no one is really sure how you got it. You have a summoning contract with the Ninken Summons. Your most noticeable feature is your spiky, silver hair..." Naruto stops mid-sentence, and drops his voice, a realization dawning on him. "Inu? The ANBU that went on that infiltration mission a few years back was you?"

Kakashi looks at Naruto before turning to look at Yuu, who chuckles. "He catches on quick, doesn't he Kakashi-san?" Yuu asks.

Kakashi nods. "Yes. Yes he does, and that's a very good trait to have as a ninja Naruto. Observance. It can usually determine the outcome of any mission. By the way Naruto, when you found me during tour mission a few years ago, you mentioned something called the _Akumagan_. I assume it's a dōjutsu, but it's one I've never heard of before. What exactly is it?"

Naruto looks at Yuu, who nods, before answering. "The _Akumagan_ , Kakashi-sensei, is my own dōjutsu." Naruto focuses Chakra to his eyes, which begin to turn crimson around the edges. He has four tomoe in his left eye, and five in his right. "As you can see Kakashi-sensei, they are similar to your _Sharingan_ in design, but are easily superior. The have both the genjutsu properties of the _Sharingan_ and the all-seeing properties of the _Byakugan_. Like the _Byakugan_ , I can also see almost 360 degrees, even with the same flawed spot of said dōjutsu. However, I have yet to fully master it. I can currently maintain the _Akumagan_ for thirty minutes before I lose consciousness from Chakra exhaustion." Naruto finishes explaining, before stopping the Chakra flow to his eyes.

"Impressive. That _is_ vastly superior to my _Sharingan_ alone." Kakashi says to Naruto. "I wonder if the Hy _ū_ ga's _Jyūken_ _(Gentle Fist)_ taijutsu style would suit him, seeing as he can see the Chakra pathways like the _Byakugan_ can. However...I doubt that they will just part with their secrets, just because his dōjutsu is similar to their own. What do you think Yuu-san?" He asks the white haired ANBU.

Yuu thinks for a minute. "I'll see if I can't pull some strings to try and get Naruto-kun a private tutor. If he can in fact utilize the _Jy_ _ū_ _ken_ , then that could be a powerful tool at his disposal. I have reason to believe that the _Akumagan_ burns through Naruto-kun's Chakra so fast is _because_ of it's dual-functionality. Imagine the possibilities of what he could do if he had full control of both the _Sharingan_ half and the _Byakugan_ half of his dōjutsu."

Kakashi's eyes widen at the thought. _'The boy would theoretically be unstoppable. He could stop genjutsu in a heartbeat, he'd be aware of his surroundings at all times; he would more-or-less be the ultimate ninja.'_ "I will help Naruto learn to control the _Sharingan_ half of his dōjutsu, but we need to find a Hyūga willing to help Naruto with his _Byakugan_ half."

"What about that Hinata girl? She seems to have a crush on Naruto-kun. She was staring at him all throughout the graduation exams today, and he was totally oblivious." Yuu says, before getting dunked by Naruto. "I am not oblivious niichan, I just didn't care."

Yuu simply used _**kawarimi**_ to escape from Naruto's grasp by swapping with Naruto's towel. _'Oops, now he's gonna be mad that I got his towel soaked. Whatever, I'll just let him have mine. We_ **shunshin** _away from here anyway.'_

"Niichan! That's so not cool." The silverette complained, then started to pout, earning chuckles from the two adults. "Hey Naruto, I'm leaving the ANBU to become a Jōnin, and to take a group of Genin. I was wondering if perhaps you wanted to help assist me in their training exercises." Kakashi asks.

"Sure Kakashi-ssn, I'd be glad to help you with training sessions. Just let me know when I should be there, and I'll be there." The silver-haired youth replies. "Hey niichan, can I show Kakashi-san _that_ technique? You know, the one that earned you your nickname." He asked Yuu.

Yuu grinned deviantly. _'Oh, he means the_ **Eiōka** _. We're both gonna enjoy this. Kakashi-san?...not so much.'_ Kakashi just looked confused. "Sure, why not. I wanna see the look on Kakashi-san's face." _**(Speaking of Kakashi's face, he is not wearing his mask, so Yuu and Naruto can clearly see his face.)**_ Naruto quickly forms three handsigns, and then just vanishes. Kakashi looks around, while Yuu is just grinning his ass off.

A hand appears out of a shadow behind Kakashi, and taps him on the shoulder, before quickly disappearing. Kakashi jumps, startled, and looks behind him but sees no one. A pebble then comes flying from across the spring, and pelts Kakashi on the forehead; of whom looks in the direction of where the offending object came from. Yuu is crying from laughing so hard. The hand then reappears from the shadow behind Kakashi, waves to Yuu, then dunks Kakashi under the water, before disappearing again. Kakashi resurfaces sputtering, looking behind him and seeing no one once again. "Alright, I'll bite. What's going on?" He asks.

Yuu says nothing and just points down to the floor. Kakashi looks to Yuu's feet and is surprised to see the top half of Naruto's face sticking out of the ground. Naruto then pulls himself out of the 'ground', all the while laughing his ass off.

Kakashi is just confused. _'How did he do that? Not even my_ Sharingan _could tell what was going on with that technique.'_ "How did you do that Naruto?" He asks.

"Can I tell him niichan, or should we just leave him in the dark?" It is your technique after all." Naruto asks, earning a nod from Yuu. "Watch Kakashi-san." Naruto then sticks one hand into the 'ground' up to his elbow. Kakashi is then tapped on the shoulder, and when he turns around all he sees is a hand sticking out of a shadow, which quickly recedes as Naruto pulls his arm back.

"So that's how it works. You use the shadows as kind or portal. You enter through one shadow, and can access any other shadow that you wish, although I assume it has a limited range of usage area." Kakashi surmises. "I see now why Yuu-san is called the 'Shadow'; he can literally become a shadow. Remind me to never get your guys' bad sides. It kinda reminds me of the Nara clan's _**Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Possession Technique)**_ , but on a whole different level."

The three monotone-haired ninja just sit in silence after that, just enjoying the peace. After a few moments Yuu stands up and stretches. "Alrighty then. I'm done here. Naruto-kun, are you coming, or are you gonna stay here with Kakashi-san for a little while longer?" He asks the silver-haired youth.

"No, I think I'll stay here with Kakashi-sensei for a little longer, I need to talk to him anyways." Naruto replies. Yuu nods, then _**shunshins**_ back to their room, leaving the two silver-heads.

"So Naruto, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about? I assume it might have something to do with my _Sharingan_ training for your _Akumagan_ , correct?" Kakashi questions.

"You're partially correct sensei, I am wondering when we'll start my training; but I also wanted to know how you got your _Sharingan_ since you're not an Uchiha. I'm also curious as to why it's only in your left eye, instead of both." Naruto says.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow, a little intrigued. _'How is it that this kid is so damn perceptive? Maybe it's because of him growing up around Yuu-san, but even so; to be as perceptive as he is at his age in uncanny.'_ "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you a little bit about myself. About twenty years ago, when I was about your age, I had already become a Jōnin. My sensei, my teammate Obito Uchiha, my friend Rin Nohara, and myself were on a mission to deliver a classified scroll to an allied nation. My sensei took off with Rin, leaving Obito with me. At the time Obito and I weren't exactly the best of friends, but that's not really important. However, even though Rin went with my sensei, she still ended up getting captured by enemy ninja. She was placed under a genjutsu by said ninja to try and get information about what was on the scroll. At the time I was stuck-up, and tried to resume the mission at the expense of Rin's life. Obito however, would have none of it. I still remember the words he said to me on that day. _'In the ninja world, those who abandon their mission are scum; however, those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.'_ He then took off into the forest, leaving me questioning my own motives."

Kakashi then continues. "In the end I surmised that Rin was in fact more important, and quickly chased after Obito. We eventually came to a cave that had likely been created from a _**Dōton (Earth Release)**_ technique. However, what we didn't know was that we had already been noticed. One of the enemy ninja had masked himself in a jutsu that turned him invisible, and had snuck up behind me. Obito however, was the one who saved me; he had awakened his _Sharingan_ , but not until after the invisible ninja had attacked me and damaged my left eye, hence the scar. After the enemy ninja was killed, we then entered the cave, and came face-to-face with the apparent leader of the ninjas. We ended up fighting him, but he was a sore loser and tried to collapse the cave on us. As we were escaping, after I had released the genjutsu on Rin, a rock had fallen from the ceiling and had hit me on the head, knocking me unconscious. Obito apparently had grabbed me and tossed me out of the way; however in doing so, he gave up his own life."

"When I finally came to, Obito was underneath an enormous boulder that had landed on and crushed the right side of his body. With the little life he had left, he told me that he was sorry for not have gotten me a gift for becoming a Jōnin. He then proceeded to pull out his left eye and then held it out to Rin, asking her to implant it in place of my damaged eye. That, Naruto, is how I came to have the _Sharingan_ , it was the last gift a childhood friend gave me before he died." Kakashi finished explaining.

Naruto was in awe. He never would have expected Kakashi to have been in a situation like what he had explained. "I see sensei. That explains why you have only one _Sharingan_. I'm sorry for your loss. Also, who was your sensei? You mentioned him twice in the story." The boy asked.

Kakashi just smirked. "I knew you would want to know. He was the Yondaime Hokage, and his name was Minato Namikaze."

"D-did you say Namikaze? You mean to say that the Yondaime Hokage, was my father?" Naruto asks with wide eyes.

Kakashi just nods. "Yes Naruto. Minato Namikaze was you father. And your mother was Kushina Uzumaki. Do you know of your father's nickname?"

"If I remember correct, wasn't he called the Yellow Flash because of one of his techniques? Whenever he used it, he would disappear and reappear in a flash of golden light." Naruto answers.

Kakashi just nods again. "That is correct Naruto. But did you stop and think for a moment about what having Minato-sensei as your father and Kushina-chan as your mother means?" Kakashi questions

Now that he actually thinks about it, he never really did question his old surname that much, seeing as he didn't know the identities of his parents. Naruto shakes his head.

"It means that all the possessions ; heirlooms, jutsus, secrets, and the like, are all your birthright Naruto. Minato-sensei's _**Hiraishin (Flying Thunder God)**_ , the Uzumaki's Clan's sealing techniques and know-how, the wealth of the Namikaze and Uzumaki Clans; it all belongs to you." Kakashi explains.

Naruto nods his head dumbly, before it finally clicks. "NANI?! (WHAT?!) You're telling me that everything that my parents left behind is mine?" He exclaims.

Kakashi just nods his head once again. "Yes Naruto, the entireties of your parents' clans are yours to do as you see fit, provided you can find them. The only ones who knew of the location of said birthright were your parents, and unfortunately, both are dead." _'I wonder if his godfather Jiraiya-sensei has any idea.'_ Kakashi thinks, then stands up and stretches, before leaving the spring and grabbing his towel to wrap around his waist. He ruffles the younger silverette's hair as he walks past him. "I'm sure you'll find it someday Naruto." He says while heading into one of the huts to dry off and get dressed.

* * *

 _ **So this chapter ended up getting a bit long, and with some advice from a friend, I decided to cut down the size of the original chapter. I will be trying to stick to around 7k words up to 12k max. So because of this limitation that I'm setting, I'll be splitting this chapter into parts**_ _ **. As always here are the translations to the techniques. Ja ne.**_

############################################

 **Sennen Goroshi:** One Thousand Years of Death

 **Tataki Ōgi: Eiōka=** Tataki Secret Art: Shadow Walker

 **Hitai-ate=** Ninja headband

 **Kagemane no Jutsu=** Shadow Possession Technique

 **Hiraishin=** Flying Thunder God

 **Nani=** What


	4. Dōjutsu Training - Part 2

The ANBU Shadows

############################################

Chapter 3 – Part 2

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Naruto sits there for a moment, thinking, then has an idea. He grabs his towel then sits on a nearby rock and crosses his legs, then enters a meditative state. He then enters his mindscape. He's in a sewer complex, but pays no attention to that fact, knowing exactly where he's going. He arrives in a large clearing with a large, opened gate. "Hey Kurama-san. I've got a question."

A large, crimson eye opens amidst the darkness beyond the opened gate. A large crimson-furred vulpine then swings its head into view, before yawning. "What's up kit? You woke me from my nap." Kurama asks sleepily.

"I was wondering, when we first spoke a few years ago, didn't you say something about another presence in the seal that used to bind you behind the cage?" Naruto asks.

"Hmm... now that I look back to that time, I do remember saying that. What about it?" Kurama asks.

"I was wondering if it would possible to give that presence a physical form through a jutsu or a seal. I have a feeling that I know what it is, but I need to be certain." Naruto replies.

Kurama thinks for a moment. "There are two possibilities that come to mind. The first would be to have someone who understands a great deal about seals, like the one that's used to bind me. I believe that pervert Jiraiya would be able to help you, but no one has seen him in ten years. Last I remember he was supposedly doing 'research' for some book he was writing. The other, possibly more effective possibility would be to take the two seal halves from the gate, and channel your Chakra into them. It's a long, shot, but it would likely be your best bet."

Naruto doesn't know what to say about the Jiraiya comments, but figures he'll try channeling his Chakra into the two seal halves. Kurama lifts him up so he can grab and peel the two halves off the gate doors. He then begins to channel his Chakra into the seal halves. The next thing he knows, he's no longer standing in a sewer but solid nothingness, surrounded in every direction by stars. He is then wrapped in a bear-hug after being tackled by someone he didn't see at first.

"Oh, my little Naruto-kun, look at how much you've grown up." A feminine voice says. Naruto is then released from the crushing hug, and looks at the person who hugged him, but doesn't recognize her. "And your beautiful blonde hair, what happened to it?"

"Kushina-chan, he's the spitting-image of you, but he definitely has my hair style and eyes." Naruto then hears a masculine voice say from everywhere, yet nowhere. The area to the right of the woman is then suddenly filled by a man appearing in a flash of gold light.

Naruto just stares, not believing his eyes. Standing in front of him was none other than the Yondaime Hokage.

"Minato-chan, he doesn't seem to recognize me; but I can tell he sure knows who you are. To think that a child recognizes their own father, but not their mother… Have they told him nothing about us?" Kushina sulks.

"Kushina-chan, I think he only recognizes me as the Yondaime, not as his father. He's never met us before, so it's no surprise that he doesn't recognize you." Minato says.

Naruto finally gets over the shock of seeing the Yondaime in person. Then what Kushina says registers. "Wait... did you say that you're my mother?" He asks, looking at Kushina.

"Yes Naruto-kun, I'm your mother. And Minato-chan is your father." Kushina replies.

Naruto just blinks, before rushing forward and ensnaring the two figures in a hug, tears running down his face. "Tou-san. Kaa-chan." He says quietly. He remains holding them for about a minute, before finally letting go. He then draws his arm back before slugging Minato in the gut, sending him flying.

Kushina just stares at Naruto, impressed with the strength he possesses. _'Yep, definitely my kid.'_ She then just laughs and hugs Naruto. "Nice hit kiddo, but why exactly did you hit Minato-chan?" She asks, as Minato reappears near them in a flash of gold.

"How the hell could you seal the Kyūbi no Yōko into a child? No, better question; how could you seal it in your _own_ child?" Naruto shouts at Minato. "Do you have any idea what it was like for me growing up? Not having parents, being called a demon and attacked by the villagers on almost a daily basis? Do you know what life has been like for me growing up?" Naruto yells, pissed off.

"I know. I knew I was taking a risk, but I knew you would be able to handle it; as did your mother. We both knew that it would be difficult, but what we didn't count on was the assumption of the villagers, and for that we are sorry." Minato says.

Kushina then speaks up. "At first, I was against Minato-chan doing it; but in the end, it was the only way to prevent the village being destroyed. As a last-ditch effort, I had Minato-chan help me seal part of our souls into the sealing formula that was used against the Kyūbi."

"Speaking of the Kyūbi, I've got a little surprise for you two." Naruto says, grinning deviously. Kushina and Minato just watch as Naruto lifts his shirt then bites his thumb, before smearing the blood over the seal on his gut. _**"Kuchiyose: Kurama Kage. (Summoning: Kurama's Shadow.)"**_ He says. A poof of smoke appears next to him, before fading to reveal a miniature version of Kurama. _**(Think of Akumaru from the Shippūden series, but as a fox with nine tails.)**_

"Oi! What's the meaning of this kit? You know that I hate being summoned in this small ass form." Kurama yells at Naruto, before noticing the two figures nearby. He glares at Minato when he notices him. "Yellow Flash, why are _you_ here?" He growls.

Minato and Kushin are shocked , they had no idea the Eight-Tetragram seal could be used as a medium for a summoning jutsu. "Kyūbi." Is all that Minato says, while Kushina remains quiet.

"What? Are you not gonna try to seal me again Yellow Flash? Or is it because you know damn well that you can't, and that Naruto won't let you?" Kurama taunts.

"I may not be able to seal you again, but I can still send you back behind your seal, just like all summons." Minato says as his finger's begin to glow blue.

Naruto flashes through three handsigns, then vanishes before reappearing behind Minato and kicking his legs out from under him. Minato drops like a rock; and Naruto stands above him. Kushina and Naruto look at Naruto in awe. _'He just moved almost as fast as Minato's_ **Hiraishin** _.'_ Kushina thinks. Minato then releases the Chakra from his fingers, before raising his hands in front of himself in surrender.

"Try that again Tou-san, and next time I won't hold back." Naruto growls, his eyes flashing gold. The quick change however didn't go unnoticed by Minato. _'So he's already obtained the Bijū Cloak. And at such a young age too...Interesting.'_ Minato thinks.

"Naruto-kun, what was the technique that you used to get behind Minato-chan so quickly?" Kushina asks.

"You mean my _**Eiōka**_? I can't really tell you much about it unless I get permission from niichan, since it's actually his technique and he taught it to me." Naruto replies.

"Niichan? But you don't have any siblings Naruto-kun." Kushina states.

"Not by blood Kaa-chan, but he's like family to me. He even has recently adopted me." Naruto says, surprising Minato and Kushina.

"You mean that someone actually adopted you? But, what about all the things that you told us about a horrible childhood, and being harassed by the villagers?" Kushina asks.

Naruto responds by forming a few handsigns. _'I'm going to receive such a scolding from niichan later for doing this.'_ He thinks. _**'Tataki Ōgi: Sora no Kage no Fune. (Tataki Secret Art: Lifeless Shadow Vessel.)'**_ A clone appears in a poof of smoke, sitting on the ground in what looks like a meditative state to any other person. _**'Tataki Ōgi: Tataki Kigen. (Tataki Secret Art: Tataki Origins.)'**_

Yuu is sitting on a chair, eating a cup of ramen, when he feels a tug on his conscience. "Naruto! I'm gonna kick your ass!" He bellows, before releasing hold of his conscience to the tug of energy.

The clone suddenly changes in appearance, turning into an exact replica of Yuu. He opens his eyes and examines his surroundings, before finally spotting a sheepish looking Naruto. He lunges at Naruto, and backhands him as hard as he can, sending the boy flying head-over-heals with the force of a bullet.

Yuu then _**shunshins**_ to Naruto and grabs him by the collar. "What did I tell you about using this technique, Naruto?" He growls.

Knowing he brought this upon himself, Naruto stuffs his anger aside. "But niichan, I had a good reason." He says in a barely audible voice.

"Oh yeah, and what might that be? It had better be good or you're gonna be in the beating of your life." Yuu growls. Naruto can't speak, so he only points behind Yuu.

Yuu turns around, before finally noticing the two figures with shocked and confused expressions written all over their faces. He drops Naruto in shock when he realizes who they are. "Naruto...what exactly is going on here?" He asks, turning back to face Naruto.

Naruto takes a moment to steady his nerves before responding. "Niichan, meet my parents. My father, the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze; and my mother, Kushina Uzumaki."

Yuu turns back and starts making his way towards the two figures, but not before grabbing the silver-haired youth and dragging him along behind him. Minato and Kushina can only watch as their son gets manhandled by this new person. As Yuu gets closer, Minato notices that the newcomer looks a bit familiar.

Yuu tosses Naruto on the ground between the three adults. "Start talking Naruto, explain what's going on." Yuu commands. Yuu then listens patiently while Naruto explains the situation. He calms down a bit after hearing the silverette's story. "I see, well that explains a lot; but you're still gonna have to deal with the consequences of using _that_ technique when you return home."

Naruto gulps audibly before nodding. "Yes niichan. I knew I was bringing this upon myself when I used the jutsu, but I knew it would be easier if you were here to help me explain things to my parents."

Minato and Kushina look at eachother, then back to the two bickering monotone-heads. "Naruto-kun, is this the one who adopted you? Well, I think that it's good that you have someone to keep you in check. Knowing you're my kid, you've probably inherited some of my 'humorous' personality." Kushina states.

"I suppose that I should introduce myself. I am Yuuzuki Tataki. I have been an ANBU for almost fifteen years. I am Naruto-kun's adoptive guardian, though I am not considered a father to him, nor do I consider him to be my son. We treat each other like brothers, well...most of the time anyway. I am not currently here, only my conscience is." Yuu sighs, before glaring at Naruto, causing him to flinch and back away. "Naruto-kun used a techniques that I taught him, but told him to only use in emergencies; and that he would face consequences no matter the case. The technique is similar in a way, to that of the Nidaime Hokage's _**Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Summoning: Reanimation)**_ , except that it doesn't require a living sacrifice. Nonetheless, I have still deemed it as a Forbidden Jutsu, since it forcibly pulls either Naruto-kun's or my own conscience from their body, and implants it into a clone; depending on who the caster of the jutsu is. That is the reason why you saw me flip on Naruto-kun the way I did." Yuu explains to Minato and Kushina, and revealing Naruto what his full name was.

"You did say Tataki, correct?" Minato asks, earning a nod from Yuu. "I knew that it sounded familiar. You're from the taijutsu family that specializes on the Eight Inner Gates. Your family members are the only ones known to have ever survived the opening of all eight gates. No one knows how your family can do it, but your family is legendary. Am I correct _Lynx_? Or should I call you the _Shadow_ , hmm?" Minato asks, grinning foxily.

To say that Yuu was astonished would be an understatement. He hadn't gotten around to telling Naruto more about this adoptive heritage. Not to mention the fact that Minato knew his ANBU codename, as well as his alias.

Naruto looks at Yuu in awe and confusion. He never would've expected Yuu's family to be so renowned, or to have accomplished the impossible. "Niichan, why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Yuu looks at Naruto before sighing. "I haven't told you about it yet because you aren't technically a full-fledged Tataki yet, Naruto-kun. I was going to tell you more about it when you turned fifteen, the same age that all Tataki's learn the family secrets." Yuu then turns back to Minato, who flinches from the glare Yuu was giving him.

"I understand niichan, I won't bring it up again until you're ready to discuss it." Naruto says.

Yuu nods. "I would like to say that it was nice to meet you Minato-sama, Kushina-sama. Now if you don't mind, I will take my leave." With that said Yuu forms a few hand-signs then makes a half-tiger seal. "Kai." The transformed clone returns to normal, the collapses before dispersing in a poof of smoke.

"Naruto. You realize the seriousness of the jutsu that you used to bring Yuu here, do you not? Forbidden jutsu are labeled that because of exactly that. They're taboo techniques that usually cause more harm than good in the long run." Minato states.

Naruto nods. "I know tou-san, but I couldn't think of any other way to easily introduce niichan. We're not near each other at the moment, so I couldn't just leave the mindscape to bring him in. But, what's done is done. I have something that I want to ask the two of you. While I was with Kakashi-san, he told me something interesting. He revealed to me that you guys were my parents; and that by being so, when you guys died, all of the Namikaze and Uzumaki possessions are technically my birthright; that is, provided I could find them. So I was wondering if you two could let me know how to find said birthrights." Naruto explains.

Minato and Kushina just look at each-other, then smile before turning back to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, you have always had the possessions with you, it's just a matter of retrieving them. What have you always had since birth, but have possibly overlooked the minor details?" Kushina asks.

Naruto thinks for a moment, a bit confused by his mother's riddle. _'What have I had with me since I was born? The only things that come to mind are the seal and Kurama...wait...the seal!'_ Naruto's eyes widen then close before reopening with the _Akumagan_ activated, before looking at the seal on his gut. He now notices a ring of Kanji that weren't visible with the naked eye. There was a hidden seal around the visible seal.

Kushina and Minato grin knowing that Naruto figured out the answer to Kushina's little riddle. However, Kushina's eyes widened when she he's the _Akumagan_. _'So, he's already awakened the_ Akumagan _. He apparently knows what it's capable of, but the question is, how much control of it does he have?'_ She walks to Naruto and whispers in his ear, "Do you want to know more about the _Akumagan_ Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looks at his mother in surprise. "How do you know about the _Akumagan,_ Kaa-chan?"

Kushina responds to lift he shirt up to reveal her gut, showing the faded sealing formula that used to house the Kyūbi. "I know, because I was the Kyūbi Jinchūriki before you were, Naruto-kun."

Naruto's eyes widened when Kushina said that. "You were a Jinchūriki Kaa-chan? But doesn't that mean that you grew up hated like I was?"

Kushina grins foxily, before shaking her head. _**(Haha, the whole family grins like foxes...)**_ "No Naruto-kun, the village knew better than to make me mad. Why do you think I was I was called the "Red Hot Habanero?" Kushina creates a clone, then pulls back as if to hit it. Her hair starts to move as if It has a mind of its own, and then Kushina slugs the clone with a Chakra infused fist, dispelling it then and there.

Naruto just blinks in shock. _'So much power.'_ He thinks in awe, then notices the crater where the clone once stood. "What the...? That's scary Kaa-chan."

Minato comes forward after their little demonstration. "Naruto, how has Kakashi been doing? I take it he's still an ANBU?"

Naruto shakes his head. "Not anymore Tou-san. He recently left to become a Jōnin and to take on and teach a group of Genin. He even asked me to help his train said Genin."

"I see. Well Naruto, I think that you would be a great assistant; and I already know that you make a great son as well as potential brother. Learn from Yuu-san, he knows what he's doing. If anyone can lead you in the right direction in life, it'll be people like Yuu-san. Anyways, your mother and I will always be here in the seal if you need to talk. Bring Yuu-san by sometime too, if he's not too busy...just not with that technique." Minato tells the silverette.

Naruto nods and gives Kushina and Minato a final hug, before releasing the small Kurama summon. He then leaves the starry mindscape, returning to his sewer mindscape. "Well Kurama-san, that was a bit of an interesting experience, don't you think?" He asks the fox.

"I wouldn't exactly call it one to remember, but yes, it was interesting kit. Also, if you're going to summon me like that, work on giving me a larger body kit, I don't like that small body." Kurama replies. "Now if you don't mind kit, I'm going to return to my nap."

Naruto just nods before leaving his mindscape. He opens his eyes, stands up, and stretches. He wraps the towel he had placed over his legs around his waist and then _**shunshin**_ s back to his room, where a frowning Yuu is sitting at the table.

"Naruto-kun, just be glad I'm in a good mood. Your punishment for using that technique won't be as severe as it would've been compared to if I was in a foul mood. No ramen for a month. That is your punishment." Yuu states.

 _'Nooo! Not my ramen! Please, anything but my ramen!'_ The silver-headed boy thinks, but sighs knowing that if he argues, the punishment would only get more severe. "Okay, niichan." He then grabs a pair of shorts and clean boxers, and heads to take a quick shower to wash away the sweat that accumulated on his body from sitting near the springs for so long.

========== _ **One Week Later**_ =========

There was a thunk on their room's door, but when Naruto opened it he saw no one, until he looked down. Sitting in front of their room was a dog, but not any dog; it was Kakashi's lead _ninken (ninja hound),_ Pakkun. "Hey Pakkun, what's up? Did Kakashi-san send you to retrieve me to help him out?" Naruto asked the dog.

Pakkun nods. "That's right, now go get ready. He wants you to meet up with him before his students arrive. He also said to tell you to wear you know what…whatever that means."

Naruto just smirks, thinking he knows where Kakashi is going with this little plan of his. Naruto invites Pakkun in so he can close the door. He then strips out of his current clothing and heads to his ANBU outfit, and begins to don it. He grabs his weapons pouches, and inspects them to make sure they're filled and clips them to his waist after refiling any that weren't full. He finally straps his ninjato to his back before placing his mask on his face. Pakkun asks if he's all set, and then leads the way to where Kakashi is waiting.

After five minutes, they arrive in a clearing where Kakashi is leaning against a tree, reading a book. He looks up when he senses the two approaching. "Glad to see you could make it Naruto. Don't worry, I won't call you by name when my students arrive, just for now. You can remove your mask if you want. I wanted to thank you for willing to help me train my students. When I start the main test, I want you to mess with then a little bit. I'll eventually reveal to them that you're here, and have you test their abilities. Sound like a plan?" The Jōnin asks.

Having removed his mask while Kakashi was speaking, Naruto smiles evilly. "Kakashi-san, I'm going to enjoy torturing... I mean testing your students."

Kakashi just sweatdrops, wondering what he just got himself into, when he feels a Chakra signature approaching. "Naruto, mask on, hide up in the tree and wait for me to start the test."

Naruto replaces his mask and jumps up into the leafy tree. He patiently waits for Kakashi's students to arrive. The first to arrive is Sasuke. The second is Sai, followed soon after by Sakura. The silverette just studies the three Genin, taking in any details that he can.

"So sensei, what are we going to be doing today?" Sakura asks.

"Today, we are going to play a little game. It is simple, all you need to do is take these bells from me by noon." Kakashi says, pulling three bells from one of his pouches. ( _ **Yea, I know its two, but I didn't feel like typing out the explanation of only two. So... yea.)**_ He then ties them to his left hip pouch. "Ready? Set? Go!" All three Genin then scatter.

Naruto quickly creates three clones. _**"Tataki Ōgi: Eiōka."**_ The three clones say before sinking into the real Naruto's shadow.

"The first part of being a shinobi, is knowing how to effectively hide and gather information." Kakashi says aloud, so that Naruto isn't accidently overheard creating his clones, or his clone's using their jutsus.

* * *

Sakura is currently hiding under a bush when she feels something rub up against her leg. Freaking out, she jumps up almost screaming, and looks around; but there is no one else anywhere nearby. She is then tripped by an 'invisible' force, and then picked up and tossed out into the open in the direction of Kakashi.

"Ninja Tactics Lesson One: Taijutsu, the physical art." Kakshi says, then reaches into his pouch and pulls out his book.

Sakura cocks her head in confusion. "Why are you reading that, now of all times?" She asks.

"To find out what happens, of course. And also because your taijutsu is likely ineffective anyway, so if I'm reading or whatever, it won't jeopardize me in any way." Kakashi replies.

Sakura then rushes at Kakashi, throwing punch after punch and kick after kick, but never managing to land a solid hit. She then jumps back, gasping for breath. _'I gave everything I had, yet didn't land a single punch or kick. And he blocked them all without even looking away from his book.'_ She mused.

"Is that all?" Kakashi asks, yawning. "I'm not even warmed up. Fine, whatever then. Ninja Tactics Lesson Two: Genjutsu, the illusionary art. _**Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu. (Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique.)**_ " Leaves then begin swirling around Sakura, catching her in a genjutsu.

"Sakura..." The pinkette hears. "Sasuke!..." Sakura yells enthusiastically, turning around then stopping midsentence, seeing a brutalized Sasuke. "Sakura...please, please help me." The illusionary Sasuke pleads. Sakura just blinks twice, before screaming then passing out.

Kakashi and Naruto just sigh. _She fell for such a simple trick, even though she took classes on genjutsu...'_ Kakashi thinks, sweatdropping.

* * *

Sasuke is currently hiding behind a tree, watching Kakashi just read his book after defeating Sakura. He leaves his cover and walks towards Kakashi. The Jounin looks up from his book. "So you're next, huh?" Sasuke just hn's, before forming hand-signs. Then making a ring around his mouth with his hand. " _ **Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu. (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Technique.)**_ " He says.

Kakshi's eyes widen, _'Genin can't use fire techniques, they use too much Chakra.'_ He thinks before being engulfed in flames. When the flames die down, Kakashi is standing 5 feet back from where he was just standing. _'Whew, that was a close one.'_ He thinks.

Sasuke then lunges at Kakashi and fiercely starts attacking the Jōnin. While he is throwing a kick, he suddenly loses his balance and falls, courtesy of the clone that's been 'shadowing' him. _'What the hell? How did I lose my balance?'_ He thinks, while climbing back to his feet.

Sasuke then begins to feel light-headed. _'What's going on, why am I all of a sudden feeling light-headed?'_ He thinks, before collapsing into unconsciousness. Kakashi then notices a small seal on Sasuke's ankle.

* * *

Sai then realizes that he's the only one still conscious. He walks out and just blatantly says, "Kakashi-sensei, this was supposed to be a test of teamwork, correct?" Earning a nod from Kakashi. "Nicely done Sai, I see that you're the most level headed of the team. Sasuke is just too full of himself and tries to do everything on his own. Sakura on the other hand is too caught up in the _great Sasuke's_ supposed glory."

Sai then notices a very faint Chakra signature coming from the nearby tree. "Kakashi-sensei, wasn't this supposed to be a test for only team seven?" He asks, earning another nod from Kakashi. "Then tell me sensei, why is there someone not of team seven here?" Kakashi looks a bit surprised; well as much as he can with his mask on; and Naruto almost falls out of the tree.

Kakashi just sighs, knowing that he and Naruto have been found out. "When did you notice him, Sai?" The Jōnin asks.

"Actually, I just noticed him before I asked my question." Sai replies.

"Sai, go release the genjutsu on Sakura, and wake Sasuke; then I'll introduce you three to our guest." Kakashi says. Sai then heads to Sakura and releases the genjustu on her, before heading to and shaking Sasuke to wake him up. Once the three gathered, Kakashi sighs again. "Sakura, Sasuke, do you even know what the purpose of this exam was? The reason we even put Genin in groups of three?" The Jounin asks. Two heads shake no in response. "Teamwork. Sai realized that, and that's why I'm going to give you another chance, but it won't be me this time. Instead, it'll be someone younger, someone who can understand the ways you think better. Okay, you can show yourself now." Kakashi says.

The two previously unconscious Genin look around a bit confused, but Sai looks straight at the tree where Naruto was hidden. Then Sai and Sasuke hear Sakura gasp. Coming out of her, no, all of their shadows were figures. All were wearing the same outfit and fox-like mask, then they disappeared in a poof of smoke. "Clones? But where did they come from sensei?" Sakura asks.

Naruto then uses _**Eiōka**_ himself, before slowly rising out of Kakashi's shadow. The three Genin could only watch in wonder, while their sensei did nothing. The figure climbed out of the shadow, and stood in front of Kakshi.

"Kakashi-sensei, who is this and why is he here?" Sai asks, intrigued by the newcomer.

"You three, this is Kitsune. Kitsune, I believe you already know my team." Kakashi asks the figure, of whom just nods. "Hmm, so these are the ones unlucky enough to get tested by the great Kitsune. You three are unfortunate." The masked character says, surprising the three with how young he sounded.

"Well, who's up first? Or, do you three all want to take me on all at once?" Naruto taunts. All three Genin look at the figure like he's insane. How could someone, likely the same age as them, possibly be able to handle all three of them at once?

"Kakashi-san, should I hold back or just keep going until they're all out cold?" Naruto asks. Kakashi just waves his hand. Naruto grins, _'This is going to be fun.'_ He then lunges at Sasuke, sucker punchins him and sending him flying.

Sakura draws a kunai, and Sai brings out a scroll and paintbrush. Sakura lunges, while Sai hastily scribbles on the scroll. _**"Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Hakubyō (Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll: White Picture.)"**_ Three paint lions lunge off the scroll towards Naruto, while a paint hawk takes to the skies with Sai on its back. _'Hmm, so this is the infamous_ **Chōjū Giga** _of the Yamanaka clan.'_ Naruto thinks while dodging the three lions, and deflecting Sakura's kunai.

Naruto then _**shunshin**_ s onto the paint crow and kicks Sai, who is in the middle of scribbling on his scroll. Sai gets sent flying of the paint crow, causing said creature to dissipate. Sai hits the ground and slides, leaving a destroyed trail in the ground; while Naruto hits the ground and rolls to absorb the impact.

Sasuke finally recovers, and rushes back onto the battlefield. He immediately spots Naruto, then charges at him. Naruto senses Sasuke and turns around and throws out his fist, which ends up in Sasuke's gut, since he didn't get a chance to dodge. Naruto then jumps up, and brings his leg down, landing a hard axe kick on Sasuke's head. As soon as Naruto touches the ground, he is tacked from behind by one of the paint lions.

Naruto struggles to get the massive creature off of him while Sasuke recovers and flashes through handsigns. _**"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu!"**_ He shouts, then breathes a massive fireball at the two struggling figures, quickly engulfing them both. When the flames die, the ink lion is gone, but a smoking Kitsune is lying on the ground. He slowly gets to his feet, before popping his stiffened joints.

"How did you manage to take a direct hit from my attack, yet get up and shake it off like it was nothing?" Sasuke asks, surprised. Naruto just responds by hitting Sasuke in the gut, then kicking him into the air before jumping up after him, then axe kicking him into the ground. Naruto then lands and touches Sasuke on the neck, placing a small seal where he touches. "What the hell? Why can't I move? What did you do to me?" Sasuke shouts when he discovers that he can't move.

"All I did was place a motor-function halting seal that cuts of the signals from your brain to your muscles on you. It's nothing permanent, just until I see fit to remove it." Naruto says before being tackled by another of the ink lions. _'Dammit, these damn ink creatures are starting to get on my nerves.'_ He thinks, before sprinting in the direction of Sai, after kicking the lion off of him.

Sai's eyes widen slightly at how fast Naruto is moving towards him, but doesn't get a chance to move. A hand wraps around his neck, then he feels himself lifted then slammed into the ground. He gasps for air, then lifts his knee up, nailing Naruto in the groin, causing himself to be let go. He quickly rolls to the side and jumps to his feet, drawing his ninjato.

Naruto's eyes water from the pain in his groin area, but pushes the pain aside to glare at Sai. "You're going to regret doing that." He growls before making a few handsigns and calming his breathing. _**'Tataki Ōgi: Shikyoku. (Tataki Secret Art: Rhythm Echo.)'**_ He thinks, drawing his ninjato, while slowly walking around Sai, creating more and more illusions of himself.

Sai just looks on, unamused, but Kakashi on the other hand, knows what Naruto is doing. He quickly uses his _Sharingan_ to locate the real Naruto, then rushes forward and kicks the boy, sending him flying and knocking his mask off. Sai just blinks; one second he's surrounded by Narutos, the next he's next to Kakashi who just sent Naruto flying. "Why did you interfere sensei?" Sai asks.

Kakashi says nothing, and walks towards Naruto, pausing briefly to pick up the boy's mask. He stops and squats next to the boy. "Really Naruto? Were you really going to use _that_ technique? Even without a weapon, it's a deadly technique, but you had drawn your ninjato, making it all the more lethal. I can't believe Yuu-san taught you that move." The Jōnin says quietly, sighing, and holding out the mask to the young silverette.

Naruto takes the mask and replaces it on his face, before sitting up and groaning, rubbing his chest where Kakashi had kicked him. "Sorry Kakashi-san, I got carried away and let my anger get the best of me. I wasn't even fully aware of what I was doing until it was too late." He says to the Jōnin. "As for your students, they all pass. Sakura is not really a fighting type; which is why I ignored her; I would recommend Chakra control lessons like medical techniques and the like. Sasuke is the complete opposite however. He's hot headed and quick to act, as well as ruthless. Sai is hard to read, but he's very good at his techniques. The _**Chōjū Giga**_ is a great asset, since it can be used offensively or defensively, as well as transportation and scouting. Their teamwork however, is total shit. They tend to work alone, only helping when they see an opportunity to get the upper hand. Sakura has no focus towards combat, preferring to fantasize over Sasuke; Sasuke is too stuck-up; and Sai... his actions remind me of ANBU. Other than that, I'd say you got yourself a decent team that will only get better as time goes on." Naruto says.

Kakashi listens, then nods, before standing up and offering his had to Naruto, who gratefully accepts it. "I see. Well thanks for helping me out today, I appreciate it. And sorry for the brutal chest kick, it's just that my students' safety is one of my top priorities."

Naruto nods before following Kakashi back to a still shocked Sai. "Sorry about that kid, I got a bit carried away after you kneed me in the groin." He says, then walks to Sasuke and kneels. "As for you Uchiha, you need to think before you act. Don't just rush at an opponent, who could easily be your superior." He says, before removing the seal from Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke just _hn'_ s, before getting up and walking away from the mask wearing boy. _'What was that technique he did, and why did Kakashi-sensei stop him? I need to learn more, I must know it's secrets.'_ He thinks to himself, while walking to Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, what was that technique that Kitsune was going to use on Sai?" He asked.

Kakashi looked at Sasuke with a serious look. "It's an assassination technique that very few can execute. In fact I only know of two people who can use it. However, since it is an assassination technique, I'm going to have a serious talk with the person who taught it to Kitsune. You are never to learn or try to learn that technique, is that understood?" The Jōnin asks, earning a nod from the Genin. "As for your test, you have all passed according to Kitsune. Tomorrow, we're going on our first mission as a team. Dismissed." He then walks back t Naruto.

The two silver-haired ninja start walking back to the village. "Kakashi-san, you're not going to tell niichan are you?" The boy asks nervously. Kakashi raises his visible eyebrow, "And why shouldn't I tell Yuu-san. He's taught you forbidden techniques. He can get into a lot of trouble."

Naruto just sighs, and removes his mask, clipping it to his belt. "I've already got enough on my plate. Niichan's been a lot more strict lately, and it's driving me nuts. Can we just not talk about this anymore Kakashi-san?"

"Fine Naruto. So what do you want to talk about? Anything on your mind?" Kakashi asks.

"Actually, there is. I noticed that when you kicked me, my mask came off, which you handed to me. Is there any way to possibly get a mask similar to yours, except maybe black in color, as a backup in case my mask ever comes off again?" Naruto asks.

Kakashi just chuckles. "Do I really have that much of an influence on you, that you want to start dressing like me?"

Naruto just smiles. "It's not that Kakashi-san, it's more of a precaution in case my mask should fall off. That way, if my mask falls off, my identity is still mostly hidden."

"I see your point. I'll see what I can do. As for telling Yuu-san about the _incident_ , I won't say anything, but should it happen again, there will be consequences. Understand?" Kakashi asks.

Naruto nods. "Thanks Kakashi-san. Also, when do you think we could start my lessons on controlling my _Akumagan_?"

"We can start at any time, but we are still waiting on Yuu-san to get you a..." Kakashi drops his voice since they were in the village now. " _Byakugan_ trainer."

* * *

 _ **I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to leave this at a cliffhanger, and will try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. This chapter was just getting really long. Again, I hope the fight was good enough. Some of it was canon-y, but I did throw in some of my own twists. Next chapter I will try to focus on Naruto training his**_ **Akumagan** _ **with Kakashi and a Hyūga. Not gonna say who yet, just wait to find out. As always here are the translations to the techniques. Ja ne.**_

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 **Kuchiyose: Kurama Kage=** Summoning: Kurama's Shadow

 **Tataki Ōgi: Sora no Kage no Fune=** Tataki Secret Art: Empty Shadow Vessel

 **Tataki Ōgi: Tataki Kigen=** Tataki Secret Art: Tataki Origins

 **Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei=** Summoning: Reanimation

 **Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu=** Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique

 **Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu=** Fire Release: Fireball Technique

 **Ninpō:Chōjū Giga: Hakubyō=** Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll: White Picture

 **Tataki Ōgi: Shikyoku=** Tataki Secret Art: Rhythm Echo ( _Rhythm Echo_ is the assassination technique that Killua does in HunterXHunter when he and Gon are trying to get the ball from Chairman Netero.)


	5. Training, Birthday and Timeskip - Part 1

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter 4 – Part 1

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **(Welcome back to The ANBU Shadows. I want to thank all of you who are reading this story. Like I said at the end of the last chapter, I'm going to try to focus on Naruto's**_ **Akumagan** _ **training. Kakashi for the**_ **Sharingan** _ **of course, but as for the**_ **Byakugan** _ **, you'll just have to read and find out. So without further ado...**_ _ **)**_

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Naruto is currently having a hard time staying upright. He has already surpassed his limit of using the _Akumagan_ , and is now drawing upon the Chakra of Kurama. _'Kit, if you keep going, neither of us will have any Chakra left, and you'll be out for days. You really should take a rest to replenish your Chakra.'_ Kurama says in the silverette's head.

 _'But Kurama-san, I need this training. I've also noticed that the_ Akumagan _isn't as draining when I'm using your Chakra. Why is that?'_ Naruto asks mentally.

 _'It's because the_ Akumagan _was originally made from my own Chakra, so it's more tolerant to my Chakra. However, your Chakra isn't as potent, nor do you have sufficient enough control yet, which is why your Chakra drains so quickly.'_ Kurama explains.

 _'I see. So say I used it in Bijū Mode; which is made entirely of your Chakra; what would happen?'_ Naruto asks.

 _'I would assume that it would decrease the drain of Chakra exponentially, but I wouldn't recommend it until you have more control over the_ Akumagan _and your Chakra. Now deactivate the_ Akumagan _and take a break, I dislike seeing my Jinchūriki in such a terrible condition.'_

* * *

Kakashi, who is helping Naruto train, looks up when he hears a thud, and sees an unconscious Naruto. He sighs, puts his book away, and goes to pick the boy up to take him back to his room. He picks the silver-haired youth up, and they _**shunshin**_ to Naruto's room, where he places the boy on his bed. Yuu is on a mission, so it is up to Kakashi to take care of the unconscious boy. He just covers the boy, and goes to sit on Yuu's bed, and continues reading his book.

About an hour later, Yuu poofs into the room. He sees Naruto asleep on his bed, and Kakashi asleep on his own bed, with his book over his face. Yuu just rolls his eyes and goes to the bathroom to take a shower. Ten minutes later he walks out, not caring that he is nude, and goes to the kitchen to grab a snack. He then goes to grab his ANBU outfit from the bathroom, and heads to throw it in the wash.

Kakashi groans, _'Damn, I guess I fell asleep.'_ He thinks before sitting up, his book falling off his face into his lap. He looks at Naruto, who is still asleep, before swinging his legs off the bed, and standing up to stretch. Just then Yuu walks back in. "Well I see someone slept well." Kakashi hears, and turns to see Yuu, who is still nude.

"Yea, although I didn't mean to crash on your bed Yuu-san. I guess I was more tired than I thought." Kakashi says, while heading to the dresser at the foot of Yuu's bed and grabbing a pair of boxers, before throwing them to Yuu. "Put some clothes on Yuu-san." Kakashi says, chuckling.

Yuu catches the boxers and quickly slips them on. "What? It's not like you haven't seen Naruto-kun or me nude before." He says, smirking.

"It's not polite to walk around nude while you have guests over, that's what. Maybe if it's just you and Naruto that are around; but I'm a guest, so at least be decent. We're not at the hot springs for Kami's sake." Kakashi says.

"Whatever Kakashi-san. Anyways, how's Naruto-kun been doing? Let me guess. Over-doing it like always?" Yuu asks, already knowing the answer.

"Yea. He's always pushing himself beyond his limits. Although I can't really blame him seeing as who his mentor, brother figure, and adoptive father is." Kakashi deadpans.

Yuu just nods and rubs the back of his head. "I guess so, but it's not exactly my fault that he takes after me. It's just the way he is. So how long did he last today?"

"Two hours, twelve minutes, and forty-seven seconds. Although, his own Chakra can hold its own for almost and hour. After he reaches his limit of using his own Chakra, he starts using the Kyūbi's Chakra. I haven't gotten around to actually teaching Naruto, since he's so insistent on seeing how long he can keep his _Akumagan_ activated. I tell him that it will last longer if he learns to control the _Sharingan_ half, but he just won't listen. I've also noticed that he sometimes seems to talk to himself; his lips move, but no words come out." Kakashi tells Yuu.

Yuu nods at the last part. "I've seen it too, and when I asked Naruto-kun about it, he said it's usually because he's conversing with the Kyūbi."

"I see, that makes perfect sense. I've read his lips with my _Sharingan_ , and it's always seemed like he was talking to an invisible entity."

Yuu just looks at the sleeping boy, who turns on his side. He then catches a glimpse of something. He walks up to Naruto, and gently turns his head more, and moves the earlobe forward. On the skin behind the ear is a crimson colored star. "Kakashi-san, do you know what this is?" He asks.

Kakashi moves towards Yuu and Naruto to look at what Yuu sees. A star was marking the skin behind the earlobe. "I don't know Yuu-san, I've never seen it before." He replies.

Yuu thinks for a moment. _'I wonder if this has something to do with the Kyūbi.'_ He then notices the feeling that Naruto emits when utilizing Kurama's Chakra. He reaches for, and gently pries Naruto's right eye, and is surprised to see the _Akumagan_ still active. He then checks the left eye, and notices that it's the same. "Kakashi-san, I think the star has something to do with the Kyūbi, because something is affecting Naruto's _Akumagan_. His _Akumagan_ is still active, even though he's unconscious."

"That's odd, I thought that his dōjutsu was supposed to deactivate when he's asleep." Kakashi says.

"It normally does, but this is puzzling me. Hold on a minute, I'll be right back." Yuu says before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Yuu appears in the Hokage's office, surprising Hiruzen. Hiruzen just blinks at Yuu's current attire. "Yuu, what brings you here? Also, I must say that your choice of clothing is a bit...unique."

Yuu glances down and see he's still only in his boxers, and mentally curses himself. "I apologize Hokage-sama, but I need you to come and look at something for me. Both Kakashi-san and myself have no idea what to make of it. All we know is that something is affecting Naruto-kun's _Akumagan_ , and possibly even the Kyūbi."

Hiruzen nods and calls in his assistant, who takes note of Yuu's appearance, but says nothing. "What do you need Hokage-sama?" The secretary asks.

"I need you to take over for a while. Yuu and I are going to check on something." Hiruzen replies.

"As you wish Hokage-sama." The assistant says. Hiruzen then places his hand on Yuu's shoulder, and the both _**shunshin**_ back to Yuu's place.

Kakashi looks up as Yuu and Hiruzen reappear in the room. "Hokage-sama." He says.

"So what is it that you wish me to take a look at Yuu?" Hiruzen asks.

Yuu walks over to Naruto and beckons Hiruzen over. "We want to know what this is Hokage-sama." He says, pointing at the star mark on Naruto. "We believe it has something to do with the Kyūbi." Yuu then shows Hiruzen the still active _Akumagan_. "Usually when he's asleep or unconscious, his dōjutsu deactivates so that he can recover his Chakra. However, as you see, that is not happening."

Hiruzen looks at the star for a moment, before reaching out to touch it. The instant he makes contact, he feels a surge of energy as well as utter exhaustion. He gasps at the sudden feelings, and withdraws his hand.

"What happened Hokage-sama?" Yuu asks.

"The instant I touched the star, I was assaulted with a massive amount of energy, like I had just taken a few soldier pills. Yet at the same time, I felt complete and utter exhaustion." Hiruzen says. "I believe the star may actually be a seal of some kind."

Yuu then has an idea pop in his head. He places a finger on the star, and sure enough he feels an influx of energy as well as exhaustion, but doesn't pull away. Instead, he begins to channel his Chakra into the star. He blinks, and then finds himself in a sewer of some kind. He walks for a bit and eventually comes to a clearing, with an enormous open gate. He hears panting, and that's when he notices Kurama behind the gate. He seems to be struggling to catch his breath. Yuu walks forward, and then notices Naruto sitting against the left wall beyond the gate, unconscious. "What have you done Kyūbi?" He asks.

Kurama doesn't reply. Yuu then notices what look like seals on him; one on the neck, one where his chest would be, one on his forehead, and one where his stomach would be. They were all linked by a purple chain of chakra. Yuu then realizes what's happening; because of the seals, Kurama can't maintain decent control of his Chakra.

"Kyūbi, what's going on? Where did those seals come from?" Yuu asks.

 _'I don't know. One minute I was telling Naruto to deactivate the_ Akumagan _, and the next these runes appeared out of nowhere. Listen, you need to take the seal halves from Naruto, and channel your Chakra into them. You will then enter a new mindscape. You will find Minato and Kushina there. You need to tell them what is going on. Tell them that Naruto's life is possibly in danger, and that I have lost control of my Chakra because of these accursed runes. Get them to tell you how to release the hidden seal. They'll know what you mean. Naruto was about to do it, but as you can see, the foul Chakra of these runes emanating off these runes has rendered him unconscious. He is still young, and doesn't have the willpower to push through this foul Chakra, but you do. I've told you what needs to be done, now get on it.'_ Kurama replies in Yuu's head, since he can't physically speak, because of the runes.

Yuu nods and walks to Naruto, and instantly feels the foul Chakra around him upon entering the gate. He pulls the two seal halves from Naruto's hands and channels his Chakra, feeling the same tug as before. He blinks and immediately recognizes the starry mindscape, then begins looking around for Minato and Kushina, but can't see them anywhere.

"Well, if it isn't Yuu-san. What brings you here?" Minato asks, suddenly appearing out of thin air, with Kushina by his side.

Yuu jumps from the sudden nearby voice, and turns to face said voice. "Now really isn't the time Minato-sama. Naruto-kun's life is possibly in danger. The Kyūbi is bound by Chakra runes, and had no control of his Chakra. The Kyūbi has told me to ask you how to release the hidden seal. He said that Naruto-kun was about to come to ask, but he was overcome by the foul Chakra of the runes, and is now unconscious." Yuu explains.

Minato looks at Kushina before slowly closing his eyes and sighing. "The hidden seal is the second layer of the Eight-Tetragram Seal that was used to seal away the Kyūbi in Naruto. The second layer has a storage dimension seal intertwined with it, which hold all the Namikaze and Uzumaki possessions, jutsu scrolls, and the like within. If the reason Kurama asked it to be released is what I think, then I agree that it should be released. However, I can't tell you how to release it personally. I can however, tell you how to wake Naruto, since it has to be an Uzumaki that undoes the second seal. When you wake Naruto tell him this: 'Mitsugumi no naka o mite, kakureta kagi ga mieru hazudesu. (Look within the tetragram three, and you shall see the hidden key ).' As for waking Naruto, force a bit of your Chakra just below his heart, opposite of how you would open the Eighth Inner Gate. Now go."

Yuu nods, before refocusing on the sewer mindscape. He reappears in front of the cage, and quickly moves to Naruto. He lifts the boy's shirt, and places his index finger below the boy's heart, and forces Chakra into the tenketsu (chakra points) under his finger.

Naruto's body falls sideways, and spasms for a few moments before quickly relaxing. He opens his eyes and pushes himself into a sitting position, taking note of his surroundings. He then notices Yuu. "Niichan? What are you doing here? _How_ did you get here?"

"Not now Naruto, I need you to listen to me closely. 'Mitsugumi no naka o mite, kakureta kagi ga mieru hazudesu.'" Yuu says, repeating Minato's words.

Naruto blinks for a moment trying to comprehend the words, then grabs his head gasping in pain. Numerous images flash through his head before stopping on a looping set of hand-signs followed by the seal on his gut. He let's go of his head and strips his shirt, the seal on his gut in plain view. He mimics the handsigns that he sees and his hands start to glow yellow. He places a hand on the seal, and instantly feels like he is being torn in half. One minute later the pain subsides, and lying on the ground is an enormous blue scroll with the Uzumaki crest on it.

Yuu tentatively reaches for the scroll, but is hurled back by an invisible force. Naruto looks shocked, but tries his luck with the scroll, and manages to grab it, unopposed. He sees another flash in his head. Naruto bites his thumb and smears a small amount of blood on the crest. Immediately afterwards, the scroll unrolls. Naruto only sits in shock as an influx of seals, knowledge, and techniques are flashing through his mind. A minute, two minutes, five minutes; it never seemed to stop. Naruto could feel his knowledge increasing exponentially; however his brain was also pounding from the massive amount of knowledge. The final seal that appears however stays in place in his mind, like it is trying to tell him something. Naruto's arm moves on its own and reaches into his pouch, pulling out a brush and blank seal sheet, and begins drawing the seal. He picks up the finished seal and examines it, before heading to Kurama, whom he begins to climb. At each rune, he places his seal over said rune, and channels his Chakra into said seal. As each rune is destroyed, Kurama can feel himself gaining more and more control over his body and Chakra.

Yuu however, felt like his body had been smacked with a sledgehammer. He slowly gets to his feet and watches as Naruto climbs Kurama to get to the rune on the fox's neck.

Once the rune is destroyed, Kurama is able to speak again. "Thanks kit." He then assists the boy by lifting the boy to his forehead so that he can remove the final rune. However, when Naruto places his seal on the final rune, his seal explodes into flames. "What happened kit?" Kurama asks, looking at Naruto, causing Kurama to go cross-eyed.

"It seems that this rune is different than the others, Kurama-san. Can you lift me back down to the scroll?" Naruto asks. After reaching the ground he heads to the scroll, and pulls out a new seal sheet and his brush again. _'Kaa-chan, please help me.'_ He thinks, then his arm moves on its own again, drawing a more sophisticated version of the last seal. "Kurama-san, lift me back to the rune." Naruto says. When he's level with the rune, he places the seal on it and channels his Chakra, but nothing happens. "What now kit?" Kurama asks.

"Lower me back to the ground." When Naruto reaches the ground, he heads over to Yuu. "Niichan, I currently don't have enough Chakra to dispel the final rune, and I need your help."

Yuu nods, understanding. _'To be able to dispel three expert level runes with no experience in seals, and very little Chakra after his training, is a feat in itself. But I'm guessing that the final rune is at least a mid-master level rune, which will require a tremendous amount of Chakra with how little knowledge Naruto-kun has on fūinjutsu.'_

"Kurama-san, can you lift us up?" I didn't have enough Chakra to dispel the final rune alone, so niichan is going to help." Kurama nods, and lifts the two up to the rune.

Naruto places the seal on the rune, then beckons Yuu over. "On three, force your Chakra into the seal. One. Two. Three." As soon as that's said, the two force their Chakra into the seal. Both the rune and the seal are destroyed, and Naruto and Yuu are also both thrust out of the mindscape.

* * *

Yuu gets launched away from Naruto, slamming into the wall his bed is against, shocking Kakashi and Hiruzen. "Yuu-san, are you okay?" What the hell just happened?" Kakashi asks.

Yuu rubs the back of his head since it slammed into the wall. "I'm fine. Naruto-kun should be as well. Kakashi-san, go and check on Naruto-kun's eyes."

Kakashi goes to open the boy's eyes, when they open on their own, making Kakashi jerk back in surprise. "Hey Kakashi-san. Jiji? What are you doing here?" Naruto asks.

Hiruzen just remains silent, allowing one of the other two to answer. "Hokage-sama is here because I asked him to come and check on you, Naruto-kun. You had an odd mark on your neck, as well as the fact that your _Akumagan_ was active, even though you were unconscious. But we just solved that, didn't we?" Yuu answers after hearing Naruto's question.

Naruto just nods. "That we did niichan. And thanks for helping Kurama-san."

Kakashi just look at eachother, confused. "Umm...can one of you tell us what the hell you're talking about? We're both kinda in the dark here." Kakashi says.

Naruto sighs. "I think it'll be easier to show you." Naruto beckons Hiruzen, Yuu, and Kakashi to come closer. He and Yuu form a few handsigns. Naruto interlaces his hand closest to Yuu with him, and they both place a hand on the two other's foreheads, _"Tataki Ōgi: Omoide no Mai. (Tataki Secret Art: Dance of Memories.)"_ they say, then the memories begin. After about ten minutes, the memories end, and the two Tatakis unlace their fingers and pull away from Kakashi and Hiruzen.

Hiruzen and Kakashi just look in awe at the two Tatakis. "That's something else. Who would've thought that something like that could happen to the Kyūbi, even though he's inside the seal. Also, that foul Chakra felt vaguely familiar. And those runes looked familiar as well, but I don't know why. But enough about that, I assume that you three will be okay now?" Hiruzen asks.

The three white-haired ninja all nod, and Hiruzen nods in return, then vanishes in a poof of smoke, returning to his office to relieve his assistant.

"Well...today has been interesting, wouldn't you two agree?" Kakashi asks Yuu and Naruto. "As for your training Naruto, I want you to take a few days off to replenish your Chakra stores. I'll see you in a few days." With that said, Kakashi vanishes in a poof of smoke.

"I agree with Kakashi-san, you really should take a few days off to relax, especially after what just occurred. I'm gonna go take a shower, to try to soothe the soreness in my back from getting launched away from you into the wall. Why don't you join me? I'll wash your back for you." Yuu suggests over his shoulder, having already stripped his boxers and is heading to the bathroom.

Naruto just nods climbing off his bed to stretch his stiff body, before stripping and heading to join Yuu in the shower.

======== _ **Three Days Later**_ ========

Naruto once again is in the large training room with Kakashi, practicing with his _Akumagan_. "Kakashi-san, why is this so difficult?" He complains.

"It's difficult because it's a dōjutsu, not to mention a hybrid of the _Sharingan_ and the _Byakugan_. Besides, the _Sharingan_ is more of a genjutsu based dōjutsu, and the _Byakugan_ is more of a taijutsu based dōjutsu. You aren't very experienced with genjutsu, same as Yuu-san; but are heavily experienced with taijutsu, also the same as Yuu-san. You are in a way, working with one of your biggest weaknesses." Kakashi explains.

"Oh, well that makes perfect sense. I only know to break a genjutsu, and Kurama-san can break some of the even bigger ones. But casting a genjutsu is a different story." Naruto says.

"That is correct, genjutsu is disrupting another person's Chakra by forcing you own to interfere with theirs. Think of it like when Yuu-san entered your mindscape, but not as realistic, since it's just an illusion." Kakashi says. "Now then, I'm going to cast a low level genjutsu on you, and I want you to try and prevent it from happening."

Naruto nods, and readies himself, focusing a bit more Chakra into his _Akumagan_. He feels a prickling sensation in the back of sub-consciousness, and knows that the training has begun. Naruto calms his breathing, and focuses on stopping the genjutsu in its tracks. He slowly feels the prickling sensation disappear, then gives Kakashi a thumbs-up, telling him to move on to the next level. _**(I'm not sure how the genjutsu system fully works, so I'm going to divide it into fifteen levels. Level one being just a trick of the eyes, to level fifteen being something similar to Itachi's**_ **Tsukuyomi (Moon Reader).** _ **)**_ The prickling returns, but is a bit sharper this time. So far, he can handle up to level six, but he always struggles after that.

Kakashi keeps waiting for Naruto to give him the okay to increase the genjutsu strength. He knows that fighting off genjutsu is a great way to strengthen the _Sharingan_ , because he had trained that way himself. He himself could handle up to a level twelve genjutsu that was cast on him. _'I can't help but wonder if the boy's_ Akumagan _has a second stage to it. If so, will it be like the_ Mangekyō Sharingan (Kaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye) _, or will it be nothing like it at all?'_ Kakashi thinks. _**(No, the**_ **Akumagan** _**will not have a second stage to it. It's already powerful enough, and my friend who beta's my story told me that it would be too over-powered if it did have something like that.)**_

Naruto is currently on genjutsu level five, and the prickling has turned into pounding, not unlike that of a headache. He slowly fights the sensation back, and signals for the next level when he is ready. The pounding returns with vengeance, causing him to grimace. He fights against it, and eventually suppresses it, then gives the thumbs-up to Kakashi, before bracing himself. Level seven is always the end for him; each level is twice as hard as the previous, which means he has to work twice as hard to suppress the next level. However, this time level seven wasn't as hard as usual, which he thinks is odd. He suppresses level seven, and signals for a level skip, something he hasn't done before.

He waits, then noticed a new sensation when the feeling returns. The pounding is still there, however, there is a ringing in his ears. He focuses more Chakra to his _Akumagan_ and suppresses level nine. He knows he was almost done since he knows Kakashi can only do up to a level thirteen genjutsu. _'Huh, it's strange, these lessons seemed a lot easier than usual, I wonder if it had something to do with rescuing Kurama from the runes.'_ "Kakashi-san, this might sound a bit strange, but I want you to go all out. I've easily suppressed everything you've thrown at me so far, it was unusually easy. So I want you to give this final test everything that you've got."

Kakashi looks at Naruto wide-eyed. _'Amazing, I never thought he would suppress a level nine that easily, and in such a short time.'_ "Okay Naruto, but know that level thirteen is going to be hell, everything over level ten is made by the _Mangekyō Sharingan_ , you understand that, right?" He asks, earning a nod from the silver-haired youth. "Alright then, this is the final level that I can manage, brace yourself." He says, shifting his eye into the _Mangekyō Sharingan_.

Naruto immediately feels a number of sensations. He feels like he's suffocating, like his body is on fire, his entire body goes rigid, his head feels like it's about to split in half, the ringing in his ear is deafening, and he feels like he's falling indefinitely. He falls to one knee, gasping for breath, but doesn't have Kakashi stop. _'I will power through this, this will not stop me.'_ He thinks. _'Kit, you're really pushing yourself this time, I can feel the genjutsu, even in here.'_ He hears Kurama say, but ignores him. He focuses a bit more Chakra to his _Akumagan_ and feels them begin to burn.

Kakashi can only watch in curiosity as the tomoe in Naruto's eyes begin to spin erratically, gaining more and more speed, before suddenly coming to a stop. He then notices one small new difference with the eye color. Around the pupil is a small crimson ring, similar to the outside portion of the dōjutsu.

Naruto slowly, but surely, pushes the overwhelming feeling away. He is then able to breathe normally again, and slowly stands back up. He then looks at Kakashi and smirks his foxy grin. "I did it Kakashi-san, I overcame a level thirteen genjutsu." He says, before falling forward, unconscious.

Kakashi rushes forward and catches the boy before he could hit the ground. "You really are something kid. You managed to beat my strongest genjutsu, one that even I have a hard time beating. You've done well, and your _Sharingan_ lessons are now finished. You've made me proud Naruto." He says, before _**shunshin**_ ing them back to the boy's room, and lays him down on the bed, before covering him. Knowing that the two Tatakis don't mind him using their stuff, he strips, folds his clothes and puts them on Yuu's bed, then heads to take a shower, only taking a pair of boxers that he borrows from Yuu with him.

Ten minutes later, Kakashi walks out with only the boxers he borrowed on, his silver hair glistening with water. _**(If you wonder why they all walk out with their hair still wet, it's cause I have a habit of doing it myself, so I just implemented it into the fic. Besides, sparking hair is kinda cool.)**_ He then notices smell of cooking food and heads to the kitchen, where he finds Yuu preparing dinner. "Enjoy your shower Kakashi-san?" Yuu asks without turning around.

"Yes, I did actually. Thanks again for allowing me the use of your guys' stuff whenever I'm over." Kakashi says.

"It's not that big of a deal Kakashi-san, what's ours is yours. If you ever need anything, just ask." Yuu says. "So how did Naruto-kun do? I see that he's unconscious again."

"He actually surprised me with how well he did. I think he's finally mastered the _Sharingan_ half of his _Akumagan_. He managed to break through my level thirteen genjutsu, the strongest one that I can make. Also, I think his _Akumagan_ evolved a little bit. When he wakes up, ask him to show you, you'll see what I mean." Kakashi replies.

"I'm impressed. He's progressed so much faster than we thought he would. Since he's finished with his _Sharingan_ training, let's give him a few days to rest before we have him start his _Byakugan_ training." Yuu says.

"So you found someone willing to train him? Who is it?" Kakashi asks, intrigued.

"I'm not saying anything yet. If you want to know, then come by in three days." Yuu says.

"Yuu-san, you're no fun." Kakashi says, earning a chuckle from Yuu.

"Food's ready Kakashi-san. Why don't you go borrow some of my clothes and get dressed, while I see if I can wake Naruto-kun." Yuu says.

Kakashi and Yuu leave the kitchen, with Kakashi heading towards Yuu's dresser and Yuu heading to a sleeping Naruto. Kakashi grabs a black t-shirt and dark grey pants and quickly slips them on. Yuu just lightly shakes the boy while channeling a small amount of Chakra into the boy.

Naruto groans and sits up, stretching his arms. He opens his eyes, which show his _Akumagan_ for a moment, before fading to his normal cerulean. "Hey niichan. Hey Kakashi-san. What's up?" He asks.

"It's time to eat is what's up Naruto-kun." Yuu says.

"Okay niichan." Naruto says, getting out of bed and quickly stretching his legs.

"I know I told you earlier Naruto-kun, but you were unconscious, so I'll say it again. You have finished your _Sharingan_ training, and I have nothing else to teach you in terms of the _Sharingan_. However, I can still train you in genjutsu if you wish, and we could still spar. But you have surpassed me in terms of the _Sharingan._ You have bested my strongest genjutsu, one that even I have a hard time overcoming." Kakashi tells the young silverette.

"Naruto-kun, I have decided that you will rest for a few days, before you begin your _Byakugan_ training. The _Byakugan_ is likely to be harder than the _Sharingan_. I assume you can see what's directly behind you without turning around?" Yuu asks.

Naruto activates his _Akumagan._ Behind me is your prized katana, and next to it is your ANBU mask." Naruto says confidently.

Yuu nods. "That is correct. But that is not all that it can do. Focus a bit more, and look at either Kakashi-san or myself and tell us what you see."

Naruto focuses a bit more, making the tomoe in his eyes slowly rotate. "I can see some kind of bluish energy running through you guys. In niichan, I can also see eight spots darker than the rest, which I assume are the Eight Inner Gates. You use them more, which is why I assume they're easier to identify in you compared to Kakashi-san, who only has one that I can easily see."

"That is correct Naruto-kun. What you saw was our Chakra flowing through us. I'm pretty sure you were correct about the eight dark spots being the Inner Gates." Yuu says before turning to Kakashi. "I never knew you were one to use a forbidden technique Kakashi-san."

"I guess I may have used it once or twice while training. But it's more of a way to get a boost of stamina, instead of for fighting like you and Gai do." Kakashi says.

"Speaking of the Eight Inner Gates niichan, when are you going to teach me the secrets of them and the Tataki family?" Naruto asks.

This peaks Kakashi's interest. "Yuu-san, you mean you've opened all eight gates? How is that possible?"

Yuu sighs before glaring at Naruto. "Kakashi-san, my family has spent countless years studying and training with the Inner Gates. We know its secrets inside and out, even a method to surviving the opening of the Death Gate. However, I am not going to discuss said secrets, since you are not a Tataki. Naruto-kun however, is an exception; though he's not a Tataki by blood, he is still my adoptive son. Therefore, when he turns fifteen, he will learn the family secrets; as I did, and all of my family has before me." Yuu explains.

Kakashi nods, respecting Yuu and his family's secrets. "I see. Well then, I won't continue any further. I was just intriguing when Naruto said what he said. Well...anyways, thanks for the meal, but I should get going. I'll see you in a few days Naruto." And with that said, he disappears in a poof of smoke."

"Sorry niichan, I forgot that you don't like me discussing Tataki family matters with non-family members around." Naruto says.

"It's okay Naruto-kun. Kakashi-san is pretty much family, but even so; he isn't a Tataki; so he can't learn much, compared to what you can. Just a few more years kiddo, then you can learn more about your adoptive family." Yuu says, getting up from the table. "Now then, I think it's time for bed, what do you say Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nods, and gets up following Yuu into the kitchen to place his plate in the water filled sink, before heading to their respective beds and crawling under the covers.

======== _ **Three Days Later**_ ========

Naruto and Kakashi are in the underground training room. They got bored of waiting, and decided to have a sparring match while they waited. Four Narutos were currently staring down two Kakashis.

Kakashi forms a flurry of handsigns, before slamming his fist into the ground _**"Dōton: Jinshintsume (Earth Release: Tectonic Talon)!"**_ The ground then begins to shudder before exploding upwards, taking out two of the Narutos, while the other two jumped backwards to avoid the attack. _**"Fūton: Shinkūdama!"**_ Both Narutos shout, then take a deep breath before slamming their hands into their guts, launching heavily compressed balls of Chakra enhanced wind at a separate Kakashi.

Kakashi forms a few more handsigns, then slams his hands onto the ground. _**"Dōton: Kyōka Doryūheki (Earth Release: Reinforced Mud Wall)!"**_ A huge wall imbued with Chakra rises from the ground between him and the ball of wind. His clone however isn't so lucky.

Naruto forms a few handsigns and focuses on his legs. _**"Fūton: Rankyakū (Wind Release: Storm Leg)!"**_ He then rushes at Kakashi, forming a cloud of dust behind him from the violently rotating winds around his legs. He sprints behind Kakashi and swings his leg forward, _**"Senpū Kyakū (Cyclone Leg)!"**_ He shouts, slamming his leg into Kakashi's side, sending the Jōnin flying.

"Nicely done Naruto. I think that should be good for now." Kakashi says after getting to his feet, holding his side. "That was one hell of a kick."

"I've been working on it for a while. The nuke-nin that I fought used a technique similar to it, except he used fire instead of wind." Naruto says, walking up to Kakashi. He moves Kakashi's hand out of the way, then lifts up his shirt, and touches the blossoming bruise, then channels a small amount of the Kyūbi's Chakra into it, before backing away."

Kakashi hisses at the foreign Chakra, but then notices that the pain quickly fades altogether. "What did you just do Naruto?"

"I forced some of Kurama's Chakra into the bruise. Kurama's Chakra may be foul, but it's damn good when it comes to healing. You don't have the Kyūbi inside you, so I couldn't give you a lot, because it would've done more harm than good." Naruto explains.

"I see, well that would explain the sharp pain I felt when you touched the wound. Thanks Naruto." Kakashi says.

Just then Yuu appears in a poof of smoke, accompanied by someone Naruto didn't know. Kakashi just smiles. "Of course, I should've known that you would've chosen him Yuu-san."

"What do you expect? He's the most gifted there is, and he's more talented than most of the Main Hyūga household members. Naruto-kun, meet your _Byakugan_ instructor, Neji Hyūga. _**(I think Neji is a good choice in my opinion. He may have been an ass in the canon at first with all his destiny talk, but not in this story. Besides...he's one of my favorite characters.)**_ "He was a bit reluctant at first, until I explained that your _Akumagan_ could possibly rival the Hyūga's _Byakugan_."

"So you're Naruto Uzumaki, the Jinchūriki vessel of the Kyūbi no Yōko? Or do you go by Tataki now? It doesn't matter; I'm just here to help you learn more about your dōjutsu." Neji says, before forming a half-tiger seal. _**"Byakugan."**_ The veins around his eyes bulge, signaling the activation of the Hyūga dōjutsu.

Naruto then focuses Chakra to his eyes, and when he blinks, his _Akumagan_ is activated. "I see. Yes, it's very similar, almost identical to the _Byakugan_ in nature, but its appearance is more that of the _Sharingan_. I assume you can see in a three hundred sixty degree field of vision?" Neji asks.

Naruto nods. Kakashi jumps back drawing a kunai, which he hurls at Naruto's back. He draws a kunai and deflects the incoming weapon without removing his eyes from Neji. "Impressive. I see that you've got a hang of the basics. That means that I can move ahead and begin training you. I want you to come at me with everything you have. No weapons or jutsus, just pure taijutsu." Naruto nods and removes his belt so he wouldn't be tempted, as well as removes his ninjato.

He then lunges at Neji, first throwing a left punch followed by a right kick. He then drops and tries to kick Neji's feet out from under him, but Neji jumps back. Naruto advances again and tries for a fake, swinging his right fist but allowing his body to go with the momentum of the swing and lashing out with a hook kick of his left leg. Neji just simply knocks the kick away and palms Naruto in the back, launching him away.

"Your moves are too flashy, too predictable. They remind me of my sensei's and teammate's taijutsu. Brute force based, designed more for external injuries and breaking limbs, compared to what users of the _Byakugan_ use. I assume that you can open a few of the Inner Gates, no?" Neji asks.

Naruto shakes his head, but it's Yuu who speaks. "Naruto-kun knows what the Inner Gates are, but he has no knowledge of how to access them. I am planning to teach him when he gets older."

"I see. I apologize for assuming. Both my sensei and teammate can open the Inner Gates, and it's quite the impressive feat." Neji says.

"Your sensei...he wouldn't happen to be Maito Gai by chance, would he?" Yuu asks.

"Yes, but how would you know that, Yuu-sama?" Neji asks.

"Because I know of only three people that can open the Inner Gates, I don't know who this teammate of yours is though. Myself, Kakashi-san, and Gai are the only ones that I know of." Yuu explains. "However, Gai can never hope to match me."

Neji focuses his _Byakugan_ on Kakashi, then on Yuu, noticing the one dark blue spot in Kakashi, then the eight in Yuu. "You've opened all eight gates...so it's true what they say about the Tataki family. They're masters of the Inner Gates. They can survive the opening of the final gate."

"Yes Neji, it's true. But that's all people know, they don't understand how though. Not even the Hokage is privileged to know the secrets." Yuu says.

"So I assume when you teach Naruto how to access the Inner Gates, you'll also teach him the secrets of the Inner Gates?" Neji asks.

Yuu nods. "That is correct. But enough about me, Naruto-kun is patiently waiting for you to continue."

Neji nods, and returns his gaze to Naruto. "As I was saying, the _Byakugan_ doesn't utilize brute strength, though it can become a lot more deadly with it. It mostly utilizes a more precise form of taijutsu called the _Jyūken_ to disrupt another person's Chakra flow. The _Jyūken_ can be used to either halt another person's Chakra or increase it, depending on how a _tenketsu_ is struck. There are three hundred and sixty-one tenketsu in a person's body. However, even if a tenketsu is closed, if the person has powerful enough Chakra, they can force the closed point back open." Neji says before turning back to Yuu. "Do you mind if I use you as an example Yuu-sama?"

Yuu shakes his head. "I don't mind Neji."

Neji focuses before rapidly striking Yuu in ten different places. Naruto sees that the points that were struck by Neji are now a purplish-maroon color, instead of the light-blue color that the others were."

Yuu then focuses for a moment, then forces his Chakra through his body, forcing the closed Tenketsu back open.

Neji then turns to face Naruto again. "That is an example of what happens to a tenketsu if the Chakra of the person if powerful enough. Now then, how skilled are you at your Chakra control? Can you channel your Chakra through anywhere on your body?"

Naruto shakes his head. "I can't do my whole body, but I can do my hands, feet, arms, and legs."

"That's actually pretty impressive. Just the hands and feet are hard for Jounin level ninja, but you can do your arms and legs as well. Oh, I forgot to ask earlier, but...do you have the blind spot that _Byakugan_ users all have?" Neji asks.

Naruto nods. "Yes, I have it, but I think that it may be bit smaller than that of the _Byakugan_ , but that's just me repeating what Kurama-san told me."

Neji nods. "I was just curious since it's similar but different. The reason I asked if you can release Chakra from your whole body, is because you'll need to be able to in order to perform the _**Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation)**_ , which is a defensive technique to protect from attacks coming from multiple directions by rapidly rotating in place and forcing Chakra from all over your body."

Neji continues. "The _Jyuuken_ is heavily based on the _Byakugan's_ ability to see a person's tenketsu, as well as their own Chakra control. Each strike forces a small amount of the attacker's Chakra into the other person's body, allowing them to manipulate tenketsu. There are a number of _Jyuuken_ techniques, but the most well-known one is the _**Jyūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms)**_. It's a rapid barrage of _Jyūken_ strikes that closes sixty-four tenketsu, effectively stopping most ninjas from using their Chakra."

"There is also a more advanced version called the _**Jyūkenhō: Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi Shō (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams: One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms)**_. It utilizes a slightly different starting stance and is much more deadly, closing off one hundred twenty-eight tenketsu. However, I'm sure it's possible to allow up to two hundred fifty-six strikes, which would close off seventy-one percent of the person's tenketsu, likely causing serious harm to the person." Neji finishes explaining.

Yuu and Kakashi just look at eachother, their eyes spinning. Naruto just nods. "So...say I was to learn the _Jyūken_ , would it be possible to create my own technique? I have a knack for creating techniques." The silverette asks.

Neji thinks for a moment. "I don't know. I guess it could be possible, but I've never tried to create my own. So I don't really know how to answer that." Neji replies. "But let's get back on topic. I want you to strike me like I did to Yuu-sama. Try to close one of my tenketsu. I won't move, I just want to examine your Chakra control."

Naruto walks toward Neji and infuses a small amount of Chakra into his hand, to prevent it from getting hurt, then strikes at Neji's shoulder. As soon as his finger connects he emits a pulse of Chakra, but the tenketsu doesn't close, in fact, it opens wider.

"Hmm, try it again, but this time, try it without your hand being infused with Chakra. I understand why you did it, but it's causing the control to weaken. You want a small, but powerful pulse of Chakra; not a wide, but weak pulse." Neji says.

Naruto tries again, this time without infusing his hand to protect it. This time the tenketsu that he strikes closes, but reopens after a few seconds.

"That's better, but you need to make the pulse more compact and with more power. Try once more." Neji says.

Naruto does so once more, and this time the tenketsu that he strikes stays closed.

"Nicely done. Now, when you fight with the _Jyūken_ , all of your strikes must be able to do that. Okay, now suppose you have to fight a Hyūga, like me, who also knows how to use the _Jyūken_. How would you approach that situation?" Neji asks.

Naruto thinks for a moment, before shaking his head. "You had it right at first. You coat your hand in Chakra, but don't cover the entire thing. You use your Chakra infused hands to parry the attacks coming from the opponent, while also attacking the opponent. Watch my hand Naruto." Neji says.

Naruto watches as Neji coats his hand with Chakra, but notices that the fingertips of his index, middle, and ring fingers are only covered up to the joints just before the finger tips, as well as his palms. "Now do you see Naruto? I don't completely cover my hands, which allows the required Chakra control in a _Jyūken_ strike, as well as the ability to parry a _Jyūken_ strike as well." Neji says.

Naruto then tries to imitate Neji with how his hand is infused. "Wow, that's a lot harder than it looks Neji."

"It's actually really difficult. Try coating your hands to the final joints after the knuckles, then try extending the Chakra to the end of each finger separately." Neji says.

Naruto does as Neji recommends, and notices that it's much easier to go to the final joint than straight to how Neji had covered his hand. He then began to focus on making the Chakra extend on each finger separately. I was a lot harder than it looked.

"After you do one finger, then do two; which are even harder than one, then do three, then finally four, then work on keeping your palms uncovered. Once you master one hand, then move to your other hand. Once you master the other hand, do both at the same time. Then try to mix how you do each hand, like two fingers on one hand, and three on the other, as well as mixing in the uncovered palm. Keep practicing until you can do it almost instinctively." Neji explains.

Yuu and Kakashi's eyes just keep spinning, not really having a clue about what Neji is talking about.

Neji then drops his voice so only Naruto can hear. "Umm Naruto...About what I'm doing, you know that if the Hyūga elders find out that I'm teaching a non-Hyūga our secrets, we would both be in trouble?"

Naruto nods. "Also, since you're an Uzumaki, you wouldn't happen to know anything about seals, would you?" Neji asks.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "Why do you ask, Neji?"

"I really shouldn't do this but..."Neji trails off and removes his hitai-ate, revealing a neon-green X on his forehead. "It's the Caged Bird Seal. It's a way for the Hyūga Main household members to keep Branch members like me, under their accursed control. I was wondering if you knew a way to possibly remove it." Neji says, then replaces his hitai-ate.

"Possibly, but I'll need to do some research. Does your family have any written information on the seal? I'll need to know more about it." Naruto says, then pulls a small seal sheet from his pouch, and holds it out to Neji. "Here, take this. It's a dimension seal. You channel Chakra into it after placing anything on it, and it'll appear on my seal, and vice versa. That way, you won't get in trouble for physically giving away family secrets, since there'll be no evidence, besides the small seal."

"Thank you Naruto. If you can get rid of this accursed seal, I will be indebted to you." Neji says.

"It's not a problem Neji. If it's to help a friend, I'll do anything to help, even if I have to put my life on the line." Naruto says.

"Again, I thank you, but I should be going. Keep practicing the Chakra-infusion sets, and I'll be back tomorrow to continue your training." Neji says before walking towards Yuu. "I'm ready to go Yuu-sama."

Yuu nods and places his hand on Neji's shoulder, and they both disappear in a poof of smoke. Yuu reappears a few seconds later. "So how was your first day of _Byakugan_ training Naruto-kun?" He asks.

"It was tiring, and a lot harder than it looked. And the _Jyūken_ is nothing like the taijutsu that you've taught me. It relies so much on Chakra control, it's insane. But from what I've seen, the _Jyūken_ is more of a quick take-down style, while yours is more of a brutal style. Yours is flashy and destructive, while the _Jyūken_ is precise and deadly." Naruto explains.

"Yes, the _Jyūken_ is nothing like my taijutsu style, the _Gōken (Hard Fist)_ , but the _Jyūken_ can't utilize the Inner Gates, which can be advantageous in certain circumstances. The _Jyūken_ can't break through solid objects, whereas my taijutsu style easily crumble concrete and rip apart steel." Yuu tells the silver-haired youth. "So having both the _Jyūken,_ and eventually the Inner Gates at your disposal, there won't be any obstacle you won't be able to overcome."

Naruto nods, then yawns. "I think I'm going to take a nap niichan, I'm exhausted from using so much Chakra. The _Akumagan_ still uses so much, even with me having mastered the _Sharingan_ half."

Yuu just nods, and Naruto disappears in a poof of smoke. "So Kakashi-san, did you hear Naruto-kun's and Neji's conversation?"

Kakashi nods. "Yea, I heard it. Should we stop them, or just allow it to happen?"

"I say that we just leave it be. If it gets them in trouble, I'll talk to Hokage-sama. If Naruto-kun feels that it's the right thing to do, then I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Once he makes up his mind, there's no point in trying to stop him anyways." Yuu replies.

"Good point. I guess you're right. Whatever, I'll see you around Yuu-san." Kakashi says before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Yuu sighs. _'Naruto-kun, what am I going to do with you?'_ He thinks before returning to their room in a poof of smoke. He strips, heads to the bathroom and grabs a towel, and before leaving looks at the sleeping Naruto, smiling lightly. He then disappears from the room in a poof of smoke.

############################################

 **Mitsugumi no naka o mite, kakureta kagi ga mieru hazudesu=** Look within the tetragram three, and you shall see the hidden key

 **Tataki Ōgi: Omoide no Mai=** Tataki Secret Art: Dance of Memories ( _This technique requires both Naruto and Yuu to be present, even if only one person has the memories_ )

 **Dōton: Jinshintsume=** Earth Release: Tectonic Talon

 **Dōton: Kyōka Doryūheki=** Earth Release: Reinforced Mud Wall

 **Fūton: Rankyakū=** Wind Release: Storm Leg

 **Senpuu Kyakuu=** Cyclone Leg

 **Tenketsu=** Pressure Point _or_ Chakra Point

 **Jyūkenhō:** **Hakkeshō Kaiten=** Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation

 **Jyūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō=** Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms

 **Jyūkenhō: Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi Shō=** Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms

 **Gōken:** Hard Fist

* * *

 _ **Another chapter that is split into smaller parts. The rest of the AN will be at the end of the next chapter. Ja ne.**_


	6. Training, Birthday and Timeskip - Part 2

The ANBU Shadows

############################################

Chapter 4 – Part 2

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

========= _ **The Next Day**_ ===========

Naruto is practicing his _Jyūken_ strikes on Neji, who easily parries the attacks. "Come on Naruto, you need to be more aggressive, as well as quick on your feet."

Naruto channels Chakra to his feet for a bit more speed, and begins attacking Neji once again. Right strike, left strike, right again, left again, just a repeated sequence of strikes and parries. He does manage to land a few lucky hits, but nothing serious.

"That's better Naruto, keep it up." Neji says, parrying more of the incoming _Jyūken_ strikes. He then sees an evil looking smirk on Naruto's face. Suddenly Neji is surrounded by three Naruto's, all attacking with _Jyūken_ strikes. "Not cool Naruto," Neji says at having to deal with two extra _Jyūken_ capable attackers, "but smart thinking. If you can't win against again a more experienced opponent one on one, then use numbers to your advantage. However..." Neji jumps back and lands in a level one divination stance, "you're within my field of divination. _**Jyūkenhō: Hakke Bunri: Kyūjūroku Shō (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Seperation: Ninety-six Palms).**_ " Neji then becomes a blur of _Jyūken_ strikes, hitting each Naruto with thirty-two strikes. The two clones vanish, and Naruto collapses from the rapid fire _Jyūken_ strikes that he just received, numb all over.

"Sorry about that Naruto, but you kind of brought that upon yourself." Neji said before kneeling next to Naruto. He strikes Naruto another twenty-two times, reopening the tenketsu that he had closed in his attack.

"I think that you sometimes enjoy hurting me Neji." Naruto complains, while chuckling. "But yea, I did kind of bring that on myself. Did you create that yourself?"

"Yea, actually I did. It's useful for situations like that, when you are outnumbered in close-quarters, but are clearly the superior fighter. But it's also dangerous, because you need to stand still before using it. It's a variation of the _**Jyūkenhō: Hakke Sanjūroku Shō (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams: Thirty-six Palms)**_." Neji says. "I noticed that you were able to block ten of the strikes too. Not bad for such a rapid-fire technique, but you should parry them, instead of fully block them with your hands."

"Yea, I know, and now my hands are sore. You put a lot of power into those strikes. I'm just a bit surprised that my _Akumagan_ could interpret the attacks with how fast they were. Now I just need to work on my reflexes and parrying skills." Naruto says.

 _'Damn, those eyes of his are something else. To be able to interpret the strikes of the_ Jyūkenhō _techniques is quite the feat.'_ Neji thinks. "Naruto, your eyes are really something else." He says. "To immediately swap between the _Byakugan_ and the _Sharingan_ in an instant to interpret and attack, is a brilliant move. It could possibly save you in the future once you master those eyes of yours."

"Yea, I've been told something along those lines numerous times...will you people stop repeating eachother? It's driving me nuts." Naruto complains, chuckling.

"Whatever Naruto, it's just the truth. By the way, I got some information on the seal for you. When I return to my room, I'll send it through the seal when I get a chance." Neji says.

Naruto nods. "Why don't we take tomorrow off and go meet your team? I want to meet these two people who can use the Inner Gates."

Neji thinks for a moment. "I don't see a problem with that, just try not to show off too much around them. I have a feeling you'll be using it in the upcoming Chūnin exams, yes?"

Naruto grins foxily, "How did you know?" He asks deviously.

"It's kind of obvious. Why we train here instead of at one of the training fields should be the biggest giveaway."

"Hmm...That's only part of it. This entire room is actually surrounded by a Chakra barrier seal. I have other techniques that utilize the Kyūbi's Chakra, which means that they emit the same Chakra as Kurama-san. I'm sure you can feel it emitting from me just using the _Akumagan_." Naruto says.

Neji nods. "Yea, it's there, but it's not that bad. Your other techniques can't be that bad, can they?"

Naruto turns to Yuu and calls out, "Hey niichan, can you come here for a second?" Yuu and Kakashi both come over. "Niichan, is it okay if I show Neji the Bijū Cloak?" He asks.

"Are you sure Naruto-kun?" Yuu asks.

Naruto nods his head. "I've already told Neji about it, but he doesn't think the killing intent from Kurama's Chakra is as bad as I say it is. I'm pretty sure Kakashi-san would like to experience it as well."

"Well, it's fine with me. Just try not to overdue it." Yuu says

Naruto nods then deactivates his _Akumagan_ , and steps back a few paces. He then focuses on Kurama's Chakra. He stretches it, molds it, then shapes it. He then forces it into place around his body. His body flickers, then erupts in yellow flames. _**The same design that I described a few chapters ago still applies, except a bit larger, and without the little hook at his waist.**_

Neji and Kakashi just stare at the glowing sight before them. "So much power." They say at the same time. "That's a lot of power Naruto. How can you control it all?" Neji asks.

"It's easy at first, but it gets harder the longer I'm in this form. The longer I'm in this form, the stronger I get, however the less control I maintain. Kurama's Chakra is very potent, as well as unpredictable. It's been a while since I last morphed, but I would say that I can last five hours in this form, before I start losing control of it. I prefer to drop out of it about thirty minutes before then though, because five hours of constant power increase is not easily dealt with. I believe niichan needed the third gate last time." Naruto says.

Yuu sighed, nodding when he was looked at. "Yea, and it wasn't exactly the most fun thing I had to do either. I had to use the _**Ura Renge**_ **,** and that was not fun for either of us afterwards. We were sore for a few days. I'm just glad this room repairs itself, the damage was pretty intensive."

"But yea, my powers can get a bit out of hand, which is why I don't use them often, because niichan is pretty much the only one that can stop me when I lose control." Naruto says.

"Yea, don't use that form if you're with us. I'd really hate to know what would happen if Yuu-sama wasn't around and you lost control." Neji says.

Naruto then deactivates his Bijū Cloak, returning to his normal self. "There is another form that I have, but niichan won't let me use it, since it's unpredictable right off the bat."

Yuu looks at Naruto. "Yea...no. No demon cloak for you kiddo. That is not gonna happen on my watch."

Neji and Kakashi look at eachother confused. "The demon cloak is my other form, where Kurama-san's Chakra pretty much takes control of my body. It usually starts with a bubbling red aura around my body. As the cloak progresses, tails made of Kurama-san's Chakra begin sprouting from the cloak, each tail increasing the power of the cloak exponentially. At four tails, I enter a stage-two demon cloak, and lose all sense of friend and foe, just attacking anyone and everyone in sight. From what niichan said, I have gotten to five Chakra-tail. The only way to stop my demon cloak form is with a Chakra suppressant seal. Niichan keeps a few on himself at all times. If you ever see what looks like a bubbly-red aura around me, tell niichan immediately, it usually means my demon cloak for is acting up. Also as a warning, my demon cloak acts up about a month before my birthday, so...yea. Just be cautious." Naruto explains.

"Speaking of Naruto-kun's demon cloak form, you might want to take a few of these, just as a precaution." Yuu says, handing Neji and Kakashi a few seal sheets. "They're for suppressing Naruto-kun's demon cloak form. Just slap it to his forehead, and the demon cloak should fade. If it doesn't, contact either me or Yamato-san immediately. You know who I mean Kakashi-san. Only contact Yamato-san if you cannot reach me, he'll know what to do. Neji, if I'm not around and the seal for some reason doesn't work, tell Kakashi-san. Do not try to engage Naruto-kun in his demon cloak for any reason.

Neji nods . _'If Yuu-sama is that worried, then this demon cloak form must be some seriously bad news.'_ "So then Naruto, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" Neji asks.

"Yea, I'll meet you at the main gate Neji." Naruto replies. "It'll be around noon when I get there though."

Neji nods, then turns to Kakashi, who places his hand on Neji's shoulder. "Looks like we'll be going then." Kakashi says before he and Neji disappear in a poof of smoke.

"So what are you and Neji going to be doing tomorrow?" Yuu asks.

"I thought that Neji would take me to meet his teammates and sensei. I want to meet the two Inner Gates users." Naruto replies.

Yuu nods. "I see. Well it's good that you're making friends Naruto-kun. You hang around me a bit too often, when you should be hanging around others your age."

"But I like hanging around you niichan. You are the first person besides Jiji who accepted me for who I was, and didn't despise me for what I had sealed within me." Naruto says. "Also, you're always teaching me new things."

Yuu chuckles. "I appreciate that Naruto-kun." He says then ruffles the boy's spiky hair. "But you should still interact more with others your age. It's part of being a kid, enjoy it while you can."

Naruto rolls his eyes. "Whatever niichan. You can be so stubborn sometimes." The two Tatakis then vanish and reappear in their room in a poof of smoke. They both strip and head to the bathroom; Yuu to grab his towel and head to the hot springs, and Naruto to hop in the shower.

While Naruto was showing, he was practicing the infusion techniques of Chakra unconsciously while letting the water pound on his back, massaging it. He didn't even realize his hand was infused until he hit it against his leg reaching for the shampoo, making it go numb. _'What the hell?'_ He thought, activating his _Akumagan_ and seeing the perfectly formed glove of infused Chakra.

 _'Whoa, I didn't even realize that I had infused my Chakra glove. That's kinda odd.'_ He thinks, then stops the Chakra flow so he can finish showering. He pats his head to remove most of the water, then dries off his body, before leaving the bathroom nude. He then notices a pile of scrolls on his bed; old scrolls by their appearance. There was also a small note. _"Here's all the info that I could find on the seal. Good Luck. -Neji"_

Naruto smirks and sits down, then carefully opens the first scroll. He spends the next few hours sitting on his bed, reading the scrolls. He doesn't even notice Yuu return from the spring. He then grabs a brush and a seal sheet, and begins the process of drawing the seal that will remove Neji's seal. It is a delicate and arduous process. He messes up a number of times, but after two hours and umpteen attempts, he finally finishes the seal he needs. He carefully folds it and places it into his nearby seal pouch.

He gets up to stretch and notices that he was still nude. He goes to his dresser and grabs a pair of sweats, which he quickly slips on. "About time you put something on Naruto-kun." He hears Yuu call from the kitchen. "I didn't want to bother you, since you looked busy, so I left you be. What were you reading anyways?"

"I was reading some scrolls that Neji sent me. Technically, he could get in trouble if the Main Household ever found out, but that didn't stop him." Naruto replies, walking into the kitchen.

"Naruto-kun, I know what you and Neji are up to. However, I'm not going to try and stop you, and neither is Kakashi-san. Just know that if the Hyūga Elders, there is going to be a lot of issues." Yuu says.

Naruto nods. "I know niichan, and I already know how to deal with it. When I remove the seal from Neji, I'm going to only remove the effect of the seal. I'm going to leave the visual of the seal, so that no questions will be raised if he is seen without his hitai-ate."

"I understand, just know that if things go to hell, I'll be there with you the whole way. I believe Kakashi-san will too. And I'm pretty sure I can convince Hokage-sama as well." Yuu says.

"Thanks niichan, you're the best." Naruto says, giving Yuu a quick hug from behind. "Why don't you come with me to meet Neji's team?"

"Because, I'm actually busy tomorrow Naruto-kun. I'm going off on a mission for Hokage-sama, and I'll be gone for a few days." Yuu says.

"Oh, okay. Then come back safely niichan." Naruto says, a little sadly.

Yuu turns around and ruffles Naruto's spiky hair. "Hey, there's no need to be so down. You'll still have Kakashi-san and Neji here, as well as Neji's team that you'll be meeting tomorrow. You'll be fine kiddo. Now cheer up, food's done."

Naruto lightly smiles. "Okay niichan." The two Tatakis eat in silence before heading to bed.

* * *

By the time Naruto wakes up, Yuu is already gone. He strips the sweatpants he is in and takes a quick shower. He walks to his dresser and pulls out black boxers, blue jeans, and a navy blue t-shirt. He gets dressed and looks at the clock between his and Yuu's beds. He still has an hour until he has to meet Neji.

He walks to the kitchen and pulls a bowl from one cabinet and cereal from another. He then grabs milk from the fridge, and a spoon from the drawer near the sink. He eats quickly, then goes to sit on his bed, and starts to focus on the small seal he made and had placed on Yuu's bed. He is practicing his father's prized _**Hiraishin**_. He knows it is similar to _**shunshin**_ ing, but umpteen times faster and with unlimited range.

He wants to master it so that he could use it in conjunction with new techniques. He blinks, then suddenly finds himself on Yuu's bed. _'Whoa. What the hell? Did it just work?'_ He moves back to his bed and sits down, then focuses again. He blinks, and he is on Yuu's bed again. _'Awesome! I think I'm getting the hang of this.'_

He gets up and moves to the kitchen after placing the small seal on the floor between the beds. He focuses on the seal, then blinks, and appears between the two beds. _'Oh yea, I've definitely got the hang of this, but I still think it can be a lot faster, but for now I'll stick to just the_ **shunshin** _.'_ He looks at the clock between the beds; 11:40.

Naruto slips on his sandals and leaves the room, quickly moving down the long hallway. He then exits through the door in the wall, and begins roof hopping, making his way to the village's main gate. He arrives, and leans on the wall to wait for Neji. Five minutes later Neji arrives.

"Afternoon Naruto." Neji says when Naruto enters earshot. "Afternoon Neji." Naruto replies. The two then start making their way towards training ground five. Ten minutes later they arrive in a clearing where two guys in green spandex are sparring, and a girl is examining a massive collection of weapons.

"Neji-kun, nice of you to make it. Who's that?" The girl asks. The two spandex wearing guys stop sparring when the girl speaks up.

"Yea Neji, tell us who your friend is." The younger spandex wearing guy asks.

"Just be patient you two, I'm sure Neji will tell us when he's ready." The older spandex wearing guy says. _**Think I've said spandex enough?**_

"Gai-sensei, Lee, Tenten, this is Naruto Tataki. Naruto, this is the rest of team nine." Neji says.

 _'Tataki...why does that name sound familiar?'_ Gai thinks to himself. Then it clicks. "Naruto, you wouldn't happen to be related to Yuuzuki by chance, would you?"

Naruto looks at Gai. "Yea, Yuu's my brother. Well...not by blood, technically he's my father, since he adopted me."

"Yuuzuki actually adopted someone? What has the world come to?" Gai shouts. Naruto and team nine just look at Gai like he's nuts. "Wait a minute...how long ago did he adopt you?" Gai asks, suddenly serious.

"I would say a little over four years or so, why?" Naruto asks.

Gai's eyes widen, and he turns to Neji. "Do you know who he is...?" He asks letting the question hang. Neji nods, and pulls Gai and Naruto off to the side, away from Lee and Tenten.

"I know know exactly who he is. He is, or was, Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko, son of the Yondaime Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki. I know it all Gai-sensei." Neji says in a hushed tone.

Gai just nods. "I thought he looked familiar. It took a moment since his hair is no longer blonde and his whiskers are gone, but he still has Kushina-sama's features, and Minato-sama's piercing eyes." He says quietly. "So, Naruto, how has Yuuzuki been doing?"

"Niichan has been doing fine. Neji brought me along because I wanted to meet the two mysterious Inner Gates using teammates of his." Naruto replies.

Gai just blinks, a bit surprised that a child younger than Lee knows of the Inner Gates, but then remembers the stories of Tatakis and their mastery of the Inner Gates. "Naruto, what exactly do you know of the Inner Gates?"

"The Inner Gates are eight major tenketsu in every person's body, which work as Chakra valves. As each 'valve' is opened, the user's Chakra increases exponentially, increasingly-so with each gate opened. However, this has a major drawback, as opening the gates puts an enormous strain on the body, breaking the regulated amount of muscles that the body normally uses through the use of Chakra. It is a forbidden technique because of that very reason. Also, anyone who opens the Gate of Death, will be granted power beyond that of a Kage level ninja, but at the price of using their own life force. However, one family is known to have survived the opening of the final gate; my niichan's family, the Tatakis." Naruto explains.

Gai blinks in awe. "Damn kid, you know your stuff. All of that is correct. What about you? Can you access the Inner Gates?" He asks.

Naruto shakes his head. "Not yet. Niichan said that I'm not ready to learn any more about the Inner Gates than what I already know."

"I see, and here I was hoping to see you spar against Lee. Well, I guess that won't be happening today." Gai says, disappointed.

"Who says Naruto can't handle Lee in a spar sensei? Just because he can't use the Inner Gates like Lee can, doesn't mean he would inevitably lose. I've sparred with Naruto, and I'll say that he's something else." Neji says, then leans to Naruto and whispers, "Use a _**henge**_ on your eyes and go all out, show them you're not a pushover."

"But I still don't know any _Jyūken_ techniques yet Neji." Naruto whispers back.

"Not to worry, just use your eyes and replicate what you've seen me do, you'll be fine." Neji replies.

"So you want me to spar with Lee, Gai-sensei? I can do that. No jutsu or weapons, just pure taijutsu. Sound fair?" Naruto asks.

Gai just stares at Naruto. _'What confidence. He's not going to use any jutsu or weapons? Impressive.'_ "Now that's some youthful determination if I've ever seen any. Lee! How about a spar with Naruto here?" Gai shouts over his shoulder.

"Sounds like a great way to test out his youthful flames sensei!" Lee shouts back, making Naruto and Neji sweatdrop.

The three then walk to the center of the field where they meet with Lee. Neji and Gai then leave the field, while Naruto and Lee spread apart before facing eachother. Naruto quickly forms a hand-sign while reaching to remove his belt. _'_ _ **Henge.**_ ' He thinks, then activates his _Akumagan_ , which is masked by the _**henge**_. He tosses his belt to the side and takes a very basic _Jyūken_ stance.

Gai and Tenten both notice, and look at eachother, then back to Naruto. Neji raises his hand. "This is a match between Lee and Naruto. It is a pure Taijutsu match, which means no jutsus or weapons are permitted. Ready. Set. Begin!" He then swings his hand down and jumps back.

Lee lunges forward, then vanishes reappearing behind Naruto, who quickly turns around and thrusts his palm into Lee's gut, closing a few tenketsu. Lee jumps back, _'Whoa, he's so fast. And his attack, it remind me to how Neji attacks.'_ Lee thinks. _'thirty to go, even less if I can manage to get his arms and legs.'_ Naruto thinks.

Lee then rushes at Naruto, a blur of green punches and kicks, trying to overpower the silverette. Naruto is calmly parrying Lee's kicks and punches while delivering a few _Jyuuken_ strikes here and there. _Twenty-seven...twenty-three...nineteen.'_ Naruto counts down in his head. He aims for a tenketsu near Lee's ankle with his fingers instead of his palm, when he hits solid metal, bending his fingers backwards. _'Ouch. What the hell?'_ He then focuses on Lee's ankles. _'Training weights? No, they look too heavy to be normal training weights.'_ Naruto thinks. "Lee, what's with the weights around you ankles?"

Lee looks a bit surprised. "How did you figure out that I had weights on?" He asked

"It was easy... and painful. When I tried hitting your ankle when you kicked me, I hurt my hand on the attack." Naruto replies.

"Very perceptive Naruto. Go ahead Lee, you can take them off. Show Naruto the full power of your never-ending youth!" Gai says, throwing Lee his nice-guy pose, tooth-sparkle and all. Naruto just shivers from the creepy pose.

"Really sensei? I can take them off?" Lee asks, earning a nod in response. Lee backflips away from Naruto twice and kneels down, then begins to unclip the weights from around his ankles. Lee sighs in relief, then stands up, before dropping the weights. They hit the ground and sink a foot into the dirt. _'What the hell?'_ Naruto thinks, then notices Neji looking at him. 'Be careful. He's much faster and stronger than he looks.' Neji mouths.

Lee then leans forward, and takes off like a bullet shot from a rifle. _'Holy shit he's fast.'_ Naruto thinks. He focuses a bit more Chakra to his eyes to extend his field of vision and his perception. _'Ah ha, there he is.'_ He thinks, then pivots on his left foot, throwing a punch to his left, catching Lee in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, surprising all but Neji, once again.

 _'How did he know where I was? How could he have seen me with how fast I was moving?'_ Lee thinks, gasping for breath.

Naruto then takes a level one divination stance. "Your within my field of divination." He mutters, only loud enough for Lee to hear.

Lee looks up surprised. "But how? That's Neji's technique. How do you know it?" Lee manages to ask whilst still gasping for air. Naruto just smirks, "Not anymore. _**Jyūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō.**_ " He then unleashes a barrage of _Jyūken_ strikes on Lee, effectively knocking him out. Naruto then leaves the stance, deactivates his _Akumagan_ , releases the _**henge**_ on his eyes, and kneels down to check on Lee.

Gai and Tenten are dumbfounded at what just happened. They then head to Neji. "What the hell just happened Neji? How did he use _your_ technique?" Tenten shouts.

Neji sighs, knowing he and Naruto have a lot of explaining to do. "Naruto, can you come over here and help me out please?" He calls to the silverette.

Naruto appears next to Neji in a split-second. "What do you need help with Neji?" He asks, then notices the two ninja staring holes into him. "Hey, can you two chill out? It like you're trying to burn holes through me with how you're looking at me."

"How did you do Neji's technique Naruto? How were you able to utilize the _Jyūken_ taijutsu style? Just who are exactly are you?" Tenten asks.

 _'Oh boy, where to begin. Dammit, if only niichan was here.'_ Naruto sighs. "Okay, this may sound a little strange but, I can use the _Byakugan_ , so Neji has been training me in the Hyūga's _Jyūken_ taijutsu style."

"You can what? We were watching the whole time, you weren't using the _Byakugan_. Tell us the truth or we're going to get the Hokage involved." Tenten threatens.

 _'Well that escalated quickly...wait that's a great idea,_ Jijī _will back me up.'_ Naruto thinks. "You want to get the Hokage involved? That's fine by me. Give me a few minutes and I'll be back with the Hokage." He then disappears in a poof of smoke, leaving a small seal sheet on the ground.

* * *

A poof of smoke appears in Hiruzen's office causing him to look up and see Naruto standing in its place when it fades. "I apologize Jijī, but do you mind helping me explain some things? Oh, and could you summon Kakashi-san too? I need to explain my _Akumagan_ to Neji's team." Hiruzen nods, and touches a small seal on his desk, while Naruto kneels and places a small seal on the floor. A moment later Kakashi appears in a poof of smoke. "Yes Hokage-sama? Naruto? What's going on, why are you here?" He asks.

"Apparently Naruto has used his _Akumagan_ around Neji's team, and now they want some answers, but won't believe Naruto." Hiruzen says.

"We can continue this later, both of you grab my shoulder." Naruto says a little harsher than he meant to. Hiruzen and Kakashi do, and the instant they do, they disappear along with Naruto in a flash of gold.

* * *

Naruto, Kakashi, and Hiruzen reappear at field five in a flash of gold, startling everyone.

Kakashi and Hiruzen look at Naruto in surprise. _'Was that the_ **Hiraishin** _?'_ They both think.

"Hokage-sama, Kakashi-sensei, can you please tell us what the hell is going on, and explain how Naruto can use Neji's techniques, as well as the Hyūga's _Jyūken_ taijutsu style?" Tenten asks.

Hiruzen looks at Tenten. "Naruto already told you how, did he not?"

"He only said that he could use the _Byakugan_ and that Neji taught him the _Jyūken_ style. Do you mean that he was telling us the truth? But he's not a Hyūga, how is that possible?" Tenten asks.

Kakashi then speaks. "Not only that, but he can also utilize the _Sharingan_."

"The _Byakugan_ and the _Sharingan_? But...how is that even possible? We all watched him spar with Lee, and his eyes always remained the same." Tenten says.

"I think it's quite obvious Tenten." Neji replies. "He used a _**henge**_ , just like I told him to."

"So that's what you two were whispering about before the spar?" Gai asks this time.

Neji and Naruto both nod. "Neji told me to use a _**henge**_ to hide my dōjutsu. I cast it when I went to remove my belt before the spar." Naruto explains.

"Naruto, since they all know now, you might as well show them." Hiruzen suggests.

Naruto nods, closes his eyes, then focuses his Chakra. When he reopens his eyes, Gai and Tenten gasp at the sight. "That's kind of creepy looking. What is it?" Gai asks.

"It's called the _Akumagan_ , and it's a hybrid of the _Byakugan_ and the _Sharingan._ So as I said before, I can use the _Byakugan_ , and that Neji has been training me. I used the _Sharingan_ part to duplicate the attack that I used on Lee. Speaking of Lee...Neji can you go and reopen his tenketsu and get him back on his feet?" Naruto asks.

Neji nods, and goes off to help Lee. "So this _Akumagan_...how did you receive it?" Tenten asks.

Hiruzen answers. "Tenten, I believe you know the answer to that. Do you remember the story of the Kyūbi no Yōko attack ten years ago?" A nod. "Did you know that the Kyuubi was sealed into a newborn by the Yondaime?" A head shake. "Well, anyways, a bijū cannot be killed since it is a manifestation of Chakra. The only way to stop a bijuu is to seal it into a newborn child. That newborn was Naruto. Although, he wasn't always a Tataki, his birth name was Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. He is the son of the Yondaime. He had however, grown up alone since his parents both died protecting Naruto while they were sealing the Kyūbi. He had been harassed by the villagers, until his adoptive father Yuuzuki Tataki took him in. Naruto recently changed his appearance to disguise himself from the villagers. Do you understand? His _Akumagan_ is a gift from the Kyūbi, of which he befriended."

"I see, well that makes sense. The sudden disappearance of a six year old male with blonde hair and whisker birthmarks. Then four years later, the sudden appearance of a ten year old male hanging around an unknown male. Now a year later there's Naruto here with more-or-less the same main feature; the gravity defying hair." Tenten says.

Hiruzen, Kakashi, and Naruto all nod. "Just know that you cannot tell anyone of this information. That means Lee as well, since he wasn't conscious when I explained. There will be consequences if I receive news that you discussed this conversation with anyone. Understand?" Tenten and Gai both nod. "Good, then I'll be in my office if anyone needs me. Oh, and Naruto, keep practicing that technique, it could use some work." Then Hiruzen disappears in a poof of smoke.

"Thanks Kakashi-san for coming to help me explain this." Naruto says.

"Not a problem Naruto, just try to heed Yuu-san's words from now on, and be careful when you use your abilities." Kakashi says. He is then then rushed at and has an arm thrown around his neck.

"Kakashi, my eternal youthful rival. How have you been" Gai asks, causing Naruto and Kakashi to sweatdrop.

"Really Gai? Now isn't really the time to have your stupid 'contest of youthfulness'." Kakashi says.

"Come on Kakashi, just a quick contest? You can even choose." Gai says ignoring Kakshi's statement.

Kakashi just sighs. "Naruto, why don' t you choose?" He asks the silver-haired youth.

Naruto nods. "Umm...What about Jan-Ken-Po (Rock-Paper-Scissors)?"

Kakashi nods, while Gai sweatdrops. "Simple, I like it. Jan-Ken-Po it is." Kakashi says. "You're no fun Kakashi." Gai complains, but none-the-less prepares for a quick Janken, of which Kakashi uses paper beating rock.

"56-50 Gai, Next time, it's your choice, until then..." Kakashi trails off, ruffling Naruto's hair, then disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Well then, ummm..." Naruto starts then stops, then walks over to Neji who is still tending to Lee. "How's he doing?"

Neji glances at Naruto for a moment then looks back to Lee. "You really did a number on him. "I've managed to reopen all but six of his tenketsu. For some reason no matter what I do, I can't get them to reopen."

Naruto acticvates his _Akumagan_ and looks at Lee. Sure enough, there are six tenketsu that are still closed, but they're not purple like they should normally be, instead they're a dark red color. _'Hey Kurama-san, do you know what's up with Lee's tenketsu?'_ He asks mentally.

Naruto loses vision in one eye when Kurama takes control of it. _'Hmm, I'm not sure kit. Did you by chance use any of my Chakra during the attack earlier? Because if you did, then only you will be able to reopen the tenketsu, since no one else knows how to control my Chakra.'_

"Hey Neji, let me try something." Naruto says, and begins to form his Chakra hands, lacing them lightly with Kurama's Chakra. He then strikes one of the tenketsu and waits. After a few seconds, the red fades away, turning purple. He then quickly strikes the remaining five tenketsu, which all slowly turn purple.

"What did you just do Naruto?" Neji asks.

"Apparently when I attacked Lee earlier, some of Kurama's Chakra mixed with mine during the _Jyuuken_ strikes. So I just did the same thing to remove Kurama's Chakra from the tenketsu points, leaving only mine. Now you can finish treating Lee." Naruto says.

Neji nods, then proceeds to reopen the last six tenketsu. Lee then groans, signaling his consciousness. He sits up slowly, and opens his eyes to look at the two nearby Genin. "Neji, how did Naruto do your attack?"

Neji looks at Naruto, then back to Lee. "I can't tell you much Lee, but I can tell you that Naruto is able to utilize the _Jyūken_ , which is how he was able to use my technique. I can't tell you any more per the Hokage's orders. If you want to know more, then you'll have to ask the Hokage yourself." Neji says.

Naruto then stands up, followed by Neji who offers his hand to Lee. The three then walk back to Gai and Tenten. "To think that what Naruto said is true is crazy. I never would have thought that a non-Hyuuga could use the _Jyūken_ and that the K..." The three hear Tenten say to Gai, and stop midsentence when they approach.

"Well then Lee, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't expecting someone to use attacks like Neji to be your opponent. But that just goes to show that not everything can go as expected. Anyways, we should get going, it was nice to meet you Naruto, and I look forward to the day that we can spar." Gai says, surprising Lee.

"You want to spar with Naruto, sensei?" Lee asks.

Gai nods. "Yes Lee, There is a lot more to Naruto that meets the eye. Hell, there's a lot that I don't know. But I do know about his heritage, that's why I'm looking forward to sparring with him."

Lee just looks on in awe and confusion. _'What does Gai-sensei mean about Naruto's heritage? What is so special about Naruto's family?'_ He thinks.

Naruto nods. "I look forward to that day too, Gai-sensei. Now if you don't mind, I'll take my leave." He says, then disappears in a flash of gold.

All four of team nine think the same thing. _'Was that the fourth's_ **Hiraishin** _?'_

* * *

Naruto reappears in his room, then sits on his bed. _'Looks like niichan is still gone... oh, right... he's on a mission.'_ He thinks, then stands up and stretches, then strips and heads to the bathroom to take a shower. He cranks the heat up all the way, and stands under the scalding water. _'Oh man, today was a lot more hectic than I thought it would be. Oh well, at least I got to meet with Neji's team.'_ Five minutes later, he turns off the water, gets out and dries off, not bothering to clothe.

He heads to the kitchen to grab a quick bite. Once finished he heads to his bed and crawls under the covers, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

 _ **So what did you all think about the chapter? I hope I was entertaining enough with my custom segments throughout the chapter. How were they? Were they up to standard and original enough? What did you think of me having Naruto learn the**_ **Hiraishin** _ **, albeit with some flaws? What about the**_ **Akumagan** _ **acting up and Naruto learning a bit about fūinjutsu? How was the fight with Lee, did I make it too short? Let me know in the comments below. Anyways, as always the translations are below, and I hope you guys will continue to stick around**_. _ **Ja ne.**_

############################################

 **Jyūkenhō: Hakke Bunri: Kyūjūroku Shō=** Gentle Fist Art: Separation: Eight Trigrams Ninety-Six Palms (Capable of being used in multiples of thirty-two)

 **Jyūkenhō: Hakke Sanjūroku Shō=** Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms

 **Hiraishin=** Flying Thunder God


	7. Mission in Nami - Part 1

The ANBU Shadows

############################################

Chapter Five – Part 1

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **And Chapter Five of The ANBU Shadows is now here. This story I think is coming along pretty well for my first ever fanfic. But the amount that I've written is absurd; I've never written so much in my entire life. But enough about me, in this chapter I plan on having Naruto finish his training with Neji, before moving into the Great Bridge Arc. So without further ado…**_

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Currently the training room under the ANBU headquarters is covered in craters and Chakra burns. There are currently six Narutos surrounding Neji, who is in his _Jyūken_ stance.

Three Narutos rush at Neji, and two are quickly diminished in clouds of smoke, but one gets a lucky hit, before it too is defeated. "C'mon Naruto, is that all that you've got?" Neji taunts.

Naruto then rushes forward and begins to unleash a barrage of _Jyūken_ strikes, of which Neji just simply parries with ease. A clone comes up behind Neji to surprise him but to no avail. Neji _**kawarimi**_ s with the clone, who then gets barraged by Naruto's _Jyūken_ strikes. _'Tch, that was cheap.'_ Naruto thinks.

"Hey Neji, I want to test out a move that I've been working on. I'd say it's more powerful than even the _**Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi**_ , but I haven't had a chance to test it." Naruto says.

Neji looks at Naruto. "And…? Why are you telling me? Why not just use it? You should always want the element of surprise, Naruto."

"Alright then, here goes nothing." Naruto says, then moves in a level two divination stance. _'Hmm, I'm not sure if this will work…'_ He thinks then shifts his stance a bit making a new divination stance which he just names a level three. _**"Jyūkenhō: Shinseina Hōgeki no Hiraishin (Gentle Fist Art: Flying Thunder God's Divine Barrage)."**_ He says, then vanishes in a blur of gold, faster than Neji can track.

Neji then feels himself get hit by a strike, then another, followed by another. A faint blur of gold becomes visible from Naruto constantly teleporting around Neji. Neji feels himself getting weaker, and attempts to use his _**Hakkeshō Kaiten**_ , but can't manage to emit enough Chakra from the tenketsu that haven't been closed by Naruto. Fifteen long seconds later, Naruto reappears in front of him in his new stance. Neji then collapses, unable to support his own weight.

"What the hell…? What was that Naruto? I feel like I have no Chakra whatsoever…what the hell did you do?" Neji asks.

"Ermm…well…hmmm…" Naruto says. "How should I explain this…? Well first thing is that I used my father's _**Hiraishin**_ to gain an incredible amount of speed, then used _Jyūken_ strikes to close off your tenketsu… three hundred fifty-three to be exact." He explains.

"Th-three hundred fifty-three?! What the hell? That leaves only eight untouched…oh…those eight." Neji says, then realizes what Naruto did, and why he chose that amount. "I see…you closed off all but the Inner Gates tenketsu, cause if you had hit them, you likely would've undone all the closures that you did from the flood of Chakra from the gates."

Naruto nods. "That is correct Neji. Now then, need a hand?" He asks, chuckling.

Neji sighs. "Umm, yes? Is that even a question Naruto?"

"Ok, then you may want to brace yourself, and don't try to access your Chakra at all until I'm done, okay?" Naruto says walking over to then kneeling next to Neji, who nods. He then places a hand on Neji's neck, and one on his lower back. "So you know, this is going to hurt. Ready?" Another nod. Naruto then channels Kurama's Chakra out the hand on Neji's neck, through the entire body, then back out through the hand on Neji's lower back.

Neji gasps and writhes a bit from the pain going through his body. _'What the hell is Naruto doing?'_ He uses his still barely active _Byakugan_ to look at the arm that he could see. He gasps when he sees the red Chakra flowing through his body. _'So that's what he's doing. He's using the potency of the Kyūbi's Chakra to quickly force the tenketsu back open. No wonder he said it would hurt, it feels like fire flowing through my veins from the foulness.'_

Naruto concentrates on controlling Kurama's Chakra, knowing that if he loses control with the amount in Neji's body, it can cause serious, if not deadly issues. He begins drawing the Chakra out of Neji's body, back into his own. When he finishes, he pulses a bit of his own Chakra into Neji, jumpstarting the flow of Neji's own Chakra.

Neji jolts at the sudden turbo-charged flow of Chakra in his body, but can see that it's the normal bluish color, instead of the red from before. He remains still, and lets Naruto finish his task.

Naruto carefully examines Neji's body, checking each tenketsu, making sure that they're functioning properly, and that none of Kurama's Chakra is still in Neji. Satisfied, he leans back. "Okay, I'm done Neji. You can move around now, though try to take it a bit easy."

Neji pushes himself up to a seated position, then looks at Naruto. "That technique…it's something else. I feel sorry for whoever's on the receiving end of it. Not having someone to be able to reopen the tenketsu would leave them in one hell of a predicament. I've never seen anything like that technique before. I hate to say it, but I have nothing left to teach you; your _Byakugan_ and _Jyūken_ training is complete."

Naruto nods. "That's great. I've also noticed that the drain is no longer as heavy as it used to be. I can now use the _Akumagan_ for around six hours, more than enough time to get things done." Naruto says, then remembers that he has the seal for Neji. "Oh crap, I completely forgot about this… Neji, I've got something for you."

Neji cocks his head, a bit confused. "Huh? What do you mean Naruto?"

Naruto just responds by reaching into his seal pouch, and pulls out a rolled up seal sheet. "This is what I forgot about Neji. I finished it the night before I met with your team." Naruto says. "You asked me to remove your seal."

Neji's eyes widen at that. "You mean that you actually did it? You made a counter to the Caged Bird Seal?"

Naruto nods. "Yep, remove your hitai-ate." He says. Neji removes his hitai-ate, and moves closer to Naruto. "You ready Neji?" He asks, receiving a nod in response. Naruto then unrolls the seal sheet, and places it on Neji's forehead. "Oh, and so you know, this is likely going to hurt…a lot. Just warning you." He then forms a half-tiger seal and channels his Chakra into the seal sheet.

Neji then feels like his head is being split in half. He falls to the side, holding his head in pain, but Naruto holds him in place. Tears stream from his eyes, and he wants to scream, but no sound comes out. He then loses consciousness from the pain.

Naruto just holds Neji in place, feeling a bit bad for the pain he was putting his friend through. He turns Neji around, and spread his own legs, and pulls Neji closer, leaning his back to his own chest, and he finishes the seal removal. After three minutes, he finishes the removal, then places a hand on Neji's head, and sends a pulse of Chakra into his skull to awaken him.

Neji slowly comes to, and notices an odd feeling against his back and chest. He looks down and sees an arm around his chest. He then looks behind him and sees Naruto. "I'm good Naruto, you can let me go now." Naruto unwraps his arm, and Neji pulls away and turns to face Naruto. "So…did it work Naruto?" He asks.

Nejis just leans forward, and grabs the paper off of Neji's forehead and examines it. "It worked Neji. The actual seal may be gone, but I left the design. That way if you're ever seen without your hitai-ate, no one would be the wiser about your seal."

Neji just blinks, before leaning forward and embracing Naruto in a hug. "Thank you Naruto." He says, then then pulls away and stands up, replacing his hitai-ate. "So…what are you going to do now?"

Naruto stands up and stretches. "I don't really know. I guess I'll go and see if Kakashi-san needs a hand with anything. You should come and meet him one of these days. See how his team reacts to two _Jyūken_ users."

"Yea, that sounds good Naruto. I think I'll take you up o that offer one of these days. Tell Yuu-sama that I said hi. I'll see you around Naruto." Neji says, then disappears in a poof of smoke.

Naruto then _**hiraishin**_ s to his room to take a quick shower. Afterwards he shunshins to Kakashi, scaring the crap out of him.

"Holy shit Naruto, don't just pop up like that, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Kakashi says. "Anyways, what's up?"

"Sorry Kakashi-san. I just thought I'd pop by to see if you wanted a hand with anything." Naruto says.

"Well, I don't need a hand. However, my team has been asking for a harder mission for a while, but I've kept denying them. We recently took an escort mission to guard a man back to his home. The mission is a C-Rank, but something just doesn't sit well with me. I feel like the client is hiding something. I want you to come along, although you'll just be a normal ninja. I'll talk with Hokage-sama about adding you to the group list. About the rune Yuu-san gave you…don't tell anyone where you heard this, but…if you ever feel it start to burn, channel a bit of Chakra into it. I can technically get into trouble for telling you this, so keep it quiet, okay?" Kakashi asks.

Naruto nods. "I understand Kakashi-san, I won't say anything. Also, Neji said that I'm done with my _Byakugan_ and _Jyūken_ training. He also said that he might join me to come and meet your team one day. I think we'll mess with them a little by both using _Jyūken_ techniques."

"That's great news Naruto. And I think that that would be a great idea, I think it'll help them a bit more with their skills." Kakashi says.

Naruto nods, then turns to walk away. "I'll see you around Kakashi-san." He then stars making his way to Ichiraku's.

See you around Naruto." Kakashi replies.

* * *

Yuu appears in Hiruzen's office in a poof of smoke, in his ANBU gear.

"Ahh, Lynx, welcome back. I take it the mission went smoothly?" Hiruzen asks, after looking up from his paperwork.

Yuu nods. "Hai (Yes), Hokage-sama. I've also brought a gift from the client for you, I've already examined it, and it's safe. I sealed it in a scroll to make it easier to carry" He then moves forward and hands a small scroll to Hiruzen.

Hiruzens unseals the scroll, and is surprised at what appears. It is a small intricate golden box. But that isn't what surprises him, it's what's inside. He gasps at what he sees. "Lynx, where did your client get these?"

"What do you mean Hokage-sama? They're just a bunch of knick-knacks, aren't they?" Yuu asks, a bit confused.

Hiruzen shakes his head and beckons Yuu closer. "Not at all Lynx, look at this." He points to a pendant with the Uzumaki crest on it. Next to it is a kunai, that Yuu now sees has the Yondaime's _**hiraishin**_ formula on it. "Now I'll ask again…where did your client get these? Did he tell you?"

"He said he found them while he was out hiking. He said they looked familiar, so he grabbed them and started collecting them. He said that the spiral on the pendant looked like the spiral on the Konoha hitai-ates, so he thought they had to do with Konoha." Yuu says.

"They do have to do with Konoha, but more specifically, they have to do with Naruto. These are Uzumaki and Namikaze namesakes. I want you to take them, and to give them to Naruto." Hiruzen says.

Yuu nods. "Alright Hokage-sama, if that's all, I will take my leave." Hiruzen nods, and Yuu disappears in a poof of smoke, just as Kakashi appears.

"Kakashi, what can I do for you?" Hiruzen asks.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to add Naruto to the list of people doing the mission that my team is doing. He said that he wanted to help out, and I told him that I would ask since I don't have a problem." Kakashi says.

"Hmm…I don't have any problems with it, he is more than capable as well. Alright, I'll summon and brief him, anything else?" Hiruzen asks.

"Nothing, Hokage-sama. I'll be going." Kakashi says before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Naruto is just finishing his fourth bowl of ramen, when he feels his shoulder begin to burn. "Thanks for the food Teuchi-san." He says and pays for the food, before darting out the front of the ramen stall. He ducks behind the stall, and reaches to then channels Chakra into the design on his shoulder. He then appears in Hiruzen's office. "Jiji, what do you need?"

Hiruzen rolls his eyes at his nickname. "Kakashi asked me to allow you to join his team on their mission. I have agreed, but you will go as you, not in your ANBU gear."

Naruto nods. "I understand Jiji. So when do I meet up with Kakashi-san and his team?" The silverette asks.

"You will be meeting with team seven at the main gate at eleven. And please, try not to kill the client, he's a bit of a drunk and may say things that he shouldn't." Hiruzen says. "Oh, and there's a surprise of a sorts for you at home."

"Okay Jiji, I'll be going then." Naruto says, then disappears in a flash of gold.

* * *

Naruto reappears in his room. He hears the shower on and smiles. He heads to the bathroom and goes in after a light knock on the door. "Welcome back, niichan. How did the mission go?"

Yuu turns and rubs his hand on the shower door to see through, after hearing Naruto's voice. "Hey kiddo, the mission went great, it was a piece of cake. I got something for you, let me finish my shower, then I'll show you." He says and rinses off, before opening and stepping out of the shower. He quickly dries off and walks out of the bathroom, grabbing his robe off the door, and tying it; followed by Naruto.

"So, what did you get me, niichan?" Naruto asks.

Yuu heads to his bed and grabs something, then tosses it to Naruto; who catches it, noticing that it's a small chest.

Naruto opens the chest and his eyes widen. "Niichan, where did you get these? Most of these items have the Uzumaki crest on them, and this kunai belonged to my father."

"The client of my mission gave them to me to give to Hokage-sama as a gift. Hokage-sama then refused and gave them to me to give to you. He said that they belonged to you." Yuu explains. "The client said that he found them over the years while out hiking and exploring."

"Thanks niichan. Oh, guess what? Neji said that I'm finished with my training. I met Neji's team and sparred with his teammate, the one that can use the Inner Gates. I used my _Akumagan_ to copy Neji's _**Hakke Rokujūyon Shō**_ , and man did that cause problems. I also met Neji's weird sensei Gai…he's something else. Lee's like a miniature version of him, it's creepy." Naruto says.

"I see, that's great news Naruto-kun. Well, I'm not gonna bother asking if the situation is dealt with, I'll just assume that it is. Also how is Gai doing? Is he still spouting his youth nonsense?" Yuu asks.

Naruto just nods. "Yea, and his protégé is just as bad. Speaking of Lee, his movement speed is insanely fast. Apparently Gai-sensei made him special leg-weights…that when Lee took off, sank a foot into the ground after he dropped them."

Yuu just rolls his eyes and sighs. "Yea, that sounds like something Gai would do."

"So Lee is a taijutsu user more like you in terms of fighting style, Neji is a Hyūga of course, Tenten is a weapons specialist; the amount of weapons that she has was absurd, I assume she uses scrolls to hold them all. That about explains the team nine Genin. Oh, and I'm going on a mission with Kakashi-san and his team tomorrow. Jiji already approved it." Naruto says.

"That's cool, though I doubt you'll be a burden no matter the mission. Just make sure that you come back safely, okay Naruto-kun?" Yuu asks.

Naruto just nods, then strips to his boxers and heads to his bed and crawls under the covers. He is out within minutes.

Yuu just smiles. _'It's good to be home. It seems Naruto-kun has made some new friends while I was gone. It'll be good for him. I hate to quote Gai but, he needs more youthful experiences; he can't always hang around me.'_ He then sheds his robe, and climbs into his own bed.

* * *

Naruto wakes up to the smell of cooking food. He rolls out of bed and heads to the bathroom to shower. After showering he walks to his dresser to get dressed. Black pants, fishnet under-armor covered by a dark-blue and light-grey vest, and black sandals. He then hangs his hitai-ate loosely around his neck and heads towards the kitchen. "Something smells good niichan."

Yuu leaves the kitchen with two plates which he sets on the table. "Well hurry up and eat, you've got to meet team seven in thirty-five minutes kiddo."

Twenty minutes later Naruto is strapping on his gear belt. He looks at his ninjato, thinks for a moment, then grabs it and quickly straps it on. He also grabs his med-pouch and straps it to his leg. "Well niichan, I'm off. See you in a few days." He says, then disappears in a poof of smoke.

* * *

The team seven Genin are already waiting when Naruto appears, followed soon after by Kakashi. "Well then, it looks like we're all here. Now we just need the client, Tazuna to arrive. Sakura, Sai, Sasuke, this is Naruto, I believe you remember him from the graduation class?" The Jōnin asks.

Sai says nothing, Sasuke just hn's, and Sakura asks, "That's Naruto? But I thought he was a blonde and had scars on his cheeks, this boy doesn't."

"Is that so Sakura Haruno? Okay, then let's try this. _**Henge**_." Naruto says, then is shown with his old features. "Still not convinced Sakura?"

Sakura just blinks. "Wow, it really is you. What happened to you? Why are you here anyways? You're not part of team seven."

A man holding a beer bottle appears, and looks at the five ninja before scoffing. "So these squirts are supposed to protect me? I asked for ninja, not some scared little children…" The man says stopping mid-sentence, a blade to his throat.

"I would refrain from insulting me and my teammates. It will not end well for you, understand old man?" Naruto growls.

Team seven, minus Kakashi look at Naruto surprised. _'He's so fast, I didn't even see him draw his blade or move.'_ Sakura thinks. _'That blade looks familiar, but why?'_ Sai thinks. _'He's fast, that's for sure. I wonder how strong he is, I want to fight him.'_ Sasuke thinks, mildly interested.

The man nods lightly, then breathes a sigh when Naruto removes the blade from his neck. "Sorry kid, I am Tazuna, the master bridge builder. I am from The Land of Waves, and have come seeking help."

"We will do what we can Tazuna, but please refrain from insulting my team or Naruto." Kakashi says. "Well, let's be on our way."

Sasuke leads the way, followed by Sai then Sakura, then Tazuna, and finally Naruto and Kakashi pulling up the rear.

"Kakshi-san, about this mission. What did you mean when you said that something felt off?" Naruto asks.

"I don't really know. We aren't the closest ninja village to the Land of Waves, but Tazuna still chose Konoha over a closer village. I just feel that he's hiding something." Kakashi replies.

The group walks in silence for about thirty minutes. Kakashi and Naruto notice a puddle even though it hasn't rained for weeks. The two silver-heads look at each-other without turning their heads, and lightly nod. Their bodies lightly tense as they become more alert.

Chains suddenly fly seemingly out of nowhere, and wrap around Naruto, and quickly squeeze together and rip the silverette to shreds… or so the Genin think. "Naruto!" Sakura shouts, starting to panic. Kakashi is also nowhere to be seen.

" _ **Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Ranjinshi." "Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."**_ Sai and Sasuke shout at the same time. Sasuke breathes a massive fireball, while Sai paints two lions, which help guard Tazuna. Sasuke then rushes forward and tackles one of the enemies, pinning him to the ground. He then hurls a kunai and a shuriken at the nearby tree, firmly anchoring the chain connecting to the two assaulting ninjas to the tree.

The other ninja lunges for Sasuke, but is quickly stopped in his tracks, a blade to his throat. "Did you really think that a simple trick like that would fool me, or that I was that easy to defeat?" Naruto growls. He doesn't give the ninja a chance to reply by pulling his arm back, slitting the ninja's throat.

A kunai then appears from the trees and impales the ninja that Sasuke had pinned in the head, killing him. Kakashi then walks from the trees where the kunai came from and heads to Naruto. "I was right, there was more to this mission than was let on. I think it's time Tazuna gave us some answers." Kakashi says to Naruto.

Naruto and Kakashi walk to Tazuna and stand in front of him. "Start taking Tazuna. When you posted the mission, you had asked for standard protection from highwaymen and robbers, not ninja. Obviously you had your reasons, but if you don't start talking, this mission ends now and we head back to the village." Kakashi says.

"That's right, we're only Genin. This kind of mission is too difficult for us." Sakura says.

"If we had known that it was ninja that we were going to be protecting you from, we would've staffed differently and charged for a higher ranked mission. But again, you obviously had your reasons, but why?" Kakashi asks.

Tazuna sighs. "The Land of Waves is a fairly poor country. Even our lords have little money, so we would not have been able to afford a higher cost mission, this is all that we were able to afford. But that is why the bridge is being built, to help increase our country's revenue."

Naruto pulls Kakashi to the side. "I think we should continue with this mission. You and I are more than capable of finishing this mission. Remember, I have an arsenal of techniques to fall upon. I have the _Jyūken_ taijutsu style as well as niichan's taijutsu style. I'm fairly decent at fūinjutsu and kenjutsu. I also have the _Akumagan_ , the Bijū Cloak if need be, and my Fūton techniques. You have your _Sharingan_ , your ninken summons, and your arsenal of jutsus. We're more than capable of handling anything that comes our way."

Kakashi looks at Naruto for a moment before nodding. "Okay, then we will continue on, but know that our next opponent won't be Chuunin like before, they'll most likely be Jōnin. I know that you can handle Jounin, but my team can't, so if we get into a fight, you'll likely be on your own."

The two silverettes then return back to the rest of the group. "Kakashi-san has decided that we will continue on with the mission. However, before we continue, I want everyone to hold out their hand for a moment." Naruto says, and pulls out four seal sheets from his seal pouch.

"What are those Naruto?" Sakura asks.

"These are marker seals. They will allow me to teleport to wherever you are, at a moment's notice, similar to that of the Yondaime's _**Hiraishin**_. Just channel your Chakra into it, and I'll be there in an instant. Tazuna, since you don't have access to Chakra, you will be with me." Naruto states.

"Why do we have to listen to you? You're in the same boat as us. You're a Genin, the same as us, so what do you think you could do?" Sasuke asks.

Naruto glares at Sasuke, but it's Kakashi who speaks up. "Naruto is not someone to take lightly Sasuke. To be honest he's on par, if not stronger than me; hell, he'd probably give the Hokage a decent battle. He's been on A and S-rank missions. I'd put my life in his hands any day knowing he'll do what's right. So show some respect Sasuke."

"Naruto's been on S-rank missions… as a Genin? Then why is he on a C-Rank mission with us?" Sakura asks.

"Because I asked him to come. Besides, you've already fought him before, though you don't know it." Kakashi says, earning a glare from Naruto. Kakashi then leaves it at that.

Naruto pulls out another tag and slaps it to the back of Kakashi's neck, then places his other seals on everyone's hand. _'Was that really necessary Kakashi-san?'_ He asks mentally, startling Kakashi. _'Just think and I'll hear whatever you have to say.'_

The group continues on oblivious to Kakashi and Naruto's conversation. _'Sorry Naruto, I almost blew your ANBU identity. I got a little carried away.'_ Kakashi thinks.

' _It's not that big of a deal to me. They'll likely find out anyways sooner or later. Do you know who those ninja were that we fought back there?'_ Naruto questions mentally.

' _Yea, they were the demon brothers, and I've come to the same conclusion that you have. Our next opponent will likely be Zabuza Momochi. Keep on your toes.'_ Kakashi thinks.

' _It won't be a problem, I just have to place a marker seal on him, and I should be able to easily take him down. I'll leave Tazuna with you.'_ Naruto thinks before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

The rest of the group never notice Naruto disappear. Sai notices a bush rustle and sends a _**nezumi (mouse)**_ to scout it. He then nods as the mouse returns to his scroll, and walks to the bushes. He bends forward and grabs a snow rabbit by the ears, and brings it around to show the group.

"That's a snow rabbit, but its fur is white, which is meant to be camouflage in the winter, and when the days are short. But since it's fall, it should be brown or grey fur, meaning this rabbit was raised indoors away from the sun for use in a _**kawarimi**_. Everyone be on guard." Kakashi says.

Sakura then notices that Naruto is nowhere to be seen. "Sensei, where's Naruto?"

Kakashi doesn't respond, his senses on overdrive. He hears a heavy whistling sound getting louder and louder by the second. "Everyone down!" He shouts, and tackles Tazuna just as a massive sword flies where his head had been not even two seconds ago.

The sword continues flying through the air before embedding itself into a tree with a heavy thud. A figure appears, standing on the hilt of the massive sword. Kakashi recognizes him immediately. "Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Hidden Mist."

"Hmm…that explains how the Demon Brothers were defeated so easily. Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja, said to have copied over a thousand techniques with your _Sharingan_ eye." Zabuza says.

Sasuke then looks at Kakashi. _'The_ Sharingan _? But how's that possible? The_ Sharingan _is the dōjutsu bloodline of the Uchiha clan… so how does sensei have it?'_

A hand appears from the shadow of the massive blade; only noticed by Kakashi, who keeps silent. The hand then carefully places a small tag on the giant sword, before disappearing.

Naruto then reappears in a poof of smoke next to Kakashi. "Well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi. You know, I've been dying to meet you and to see if your demon is as real as mine is." He says.

Zabuza looks at the newcomer. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"I am of little concer, however you are Zabuza Momochi, also known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist. You are an A-Class nuke-nin from Kirigakure. You use _**Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique)**_ to hide yourself while you attack people with the _**Sairento Kiringu (Silent Killing)**_ technique. You are the supposed Master of the Silent Kills."

"Hmm…it seems that someone has done their homework. But even so, you're still no match for me brat." Zabuza taunts, hopping off his sword and yanking it from the tree.

Naruto's eye twitches and he draws his ninjato, then lunges forward in a blur. He appears behind Zabuza and lashes out with his blade, only to be met my Zabuza's blade. He then kicks his leg out in an attempt to knock Zabuza off his feet.

Zabuza jumps of, dodging the kick, and kicks out at the silverette's head. Naruto dodges then aims a punch at Zabuza's side, landing a heavy hit, sending the larger man sliding from the force.

"Not bad kid." Zabuza says, then makes a few hand signs. _**"Kirigakure no Jutsu.**_ Let's see how well you do when you can't see shall we?"

When the mist is thick enough, Naruto activates his _Akumagan_. He raises his ninjato and blocks a bone-rattling attack from the larger weapon. "You know Zabuza, you just made the worst mistake that you have. I didn't want my teammates to see any of my techniques, and you provided the perfect cover when you created this mist." Naruto says as he sheathes his ninjato, and backs away from Zabuza a few steps, then enters his level three _Jyūken_ stance. _**'Jyūkenhō: Shinsei Hōgeki no Hiraishin.'**_ He then disappears, reappearing in flashes of gold as he strikes Zabuza with _Jyūken_ strikes.

All that the rest of the group can see are lots of yellow flashes. "Kakashi-sensei, what's going on over there? What's with all the flashing yellow lights?" Sakura asks.

"To tell you the truth, I really don't know. But I believe that it's one of Naruto's techniques, though I've never seen him use one with so much flashing before." Kakashi replies.

"That's one of Naruto's techniques? Amazing." Sakura says in awe. "Hey, umm… is it me, or does the mist seem to be disappearing?"

"It is disappearing Sakura." Kakashi says. The group can now see two figures, one standing and one collapsed on the ground. "Well, it looks like the fight is over."

"What the hell did you do to me brat? Why can't I move?" Zabuza snarls.

"I just closed off three hundred fifty-three of your tenketsu. You will not be able to move nor focus any Chakra. This is my own technique based off the _Jyūken_ taijutsu style." Naruto replies.

"How did you do it? Tenketsu can't be seen by the naked eye." Zabuza says.

Naruto then senses another Chakra presence not too far away. He looks up and sees a 'Kiri' ninja wearing an ANBU mask, but quickly looks back to Zabuza so as not to draw the ninja's attention. "Simple, it's because I _can_ see tenketsu through the use of the _Byakugan_ …so to speak."

Naruto continues. "Now then…you have two options. One, you can surrender and I will see to any punishments that you receive; and believe me, I'll be a lot more lenient than whatever the higher-ups at Konoha will be. Or two, I kill you here and now. It's your choice Zabuza, and remember, you can't move, so you only have two choices."

"And if I choose to surrender? What will happen to my protégé?" Zabuza asks.

"Your protégé? Are you talking about the ninja hiding in the trees a ways back with the ANBU mask? No harm will come to him, unless he provokes or threatens my team in some way." Naruto replies. "If you choose to surrender, I will also see if it's possible to make you ninjas of Konoha, which will remove any and all bounties that Konoha have issued, although you will be under surveillance at all times for a while. So… what is your decision?"

Zabuza thinks for a moment. _'Impressive. This kid has noticed Haku, yet none of his team seems to notice him. His offer also sounds pretty good to be honest; if we were to become Konoha ninjas, we wouldn't have to worry about Konoha hunting us anymore. Not to mention we would also have a place to call home.'_ "Sounds like a deal kid. I'll surrender to you and leave you to make any punishments when we arrive at Konoha, but in return, we want full Konoha ninja rights." He says.

Naruto nods, then looks back to the protégé of Zabuza, and seems to send a nonverbal message. The ninja disappears then reappears in a swirl of leaves, surprising the rest of Naruto's group.

"As long as you're with me, no harm will come to you or Zabuza. After we finish this mission, I'll talk to the Hokage about what to do with you two; but for now, you will travel with us while we finish the mission." Naruto says to the newcomer.

Naruto then kneels down. "I'm going to reopen your tenketsu Zabuza. Any funny business, and the deal is off, and I will kill you, understand?" Naruto asks, earning a barely noticeable nod. He then places a hand on the back of Zabuza's neck, and one on his lower back. "By the way, this is going to hurt, try not to distract me, otherwise I could lose control of what I am about to do." He says, earning another barely noticeable nod.

Naruto then summons Kurama's Chakra and begins to channel it out the hand on Zabuza's neck, through the body, and then back out through the hand on Zabuza's lower back. Zabuza grimaces at the burning sensation flowing through his body, but keeps silent, having felt worse pain before. Five minutes later, Naruto removes his hands and stands up.

Zabuza pulls his arms to his chest, and pushes himself up, slowly getting to his feet. "I will keep my promise boy, as long as you intend to keep yours."

Naruto nods. "I don't break my promises; I said that I would oversee what happens when we return to Konoha, and I'll be damned if someone tries to stop me."

Zabuza nods, then looks to the ninja with the ANBU mask. "You can remove your mask Haku, the boy and his group won't harm us or let any come to us."

Haku then removes his mask, and clips it to his belt. "If I may ask, what is your name?" He asks.

"I am Naruto Tataki. My team consists of Kakashi Hatake, the Jōnin in charge of the mission, the pinkette is Sakura, the raven-head is Sasuke, the pale kid is Sai _**(I don't really know how to describe him besides him being pale.)**_ , and our client Tazuna, the master bridge builder." Naruto says. "Now you and Zabuza here will help finish our mission, if you want me to keep my end of the deal."

' _Kakashi-san; Zabuza and Haku will be coming with us to finish the mission. I have promised that if Zabuza surrendered, no harm would come to him or his protégé. I will also be overseeing their 'consequences', so-to-speak, when we return to Konoha. I want you to send Pakkun to Jijī, to let him know about this come-of-events, so that they aren't attacked when we enter the village. Although I doubt it will do anything and that they will still stop us.'_ Naruto thinks to Kakashi, who nods then summons Pakkun.

Naruto walks to the rest of the group, followed by Zabuza and Haku. "Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Tazuna; these two will be coming along with us. They will not harm us, and they know what will happen if they break that promise. Now then, let's continue on with the mission."

* * *

Most of the group is in a boat being rowed by man from the Village of Waves. The only ones not in the boat are Zabuza, Haku, and Naruto; who choose to walk on the surface of the water so the rest of the group can fit in the small boat.

"Kakashi-sensei, how are those three walking on the water?" Sakura asks.

"They're using their Chakra to allow themselves to stay on top of the water. Think of it as platforms appearing right where they step. It's a form of Chakra control that I am planning on teaching you three at a later date. The feet and the hands are some of the hardest points to focus Chakra to, even for Jōnin class ninjas. However, Naruto is a special case, he has such mastery of Chakra that I believe he can emit it from ninety percent of his body, maybe even more. "Kakashi says.

"Ninety percent? But how does he do it, do you know, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asks.

"I believe it may have something to do with who his most recent teacher was. He had a Hyūga train him in his Chakra control, and all Hyūgas are highly adept at Chakra control. That's all I can tell you though. Naruto has had three teachers, and he lives with one of them. His adoptive father, the Hyūga, and finally, me." Kakashi says. "He's also had a fourth teacher, but I'll let him explain that one if he wishes to, I can't say anything else."

"You trained Naruto, Kakashi-sensei? What did you teach him?" Sakura asks.

"I trained him in genjutsu. He can currently withstand up to a level thirteen genjutsu, possibly a level fourteen, although I know of only one person who can perform level fourteen and fifteen genjutsus."

"A level thirteen genjutsu, really? Whoa…and I thought that me being able to withstand a level six was something. That's crazy. Who is Naruto's adoptive father, his last name sounds familiar." Sakura asks.

"I'm going to leave that up to Naruto to tell you. But his adoptive father was at the graduation exams, although he was under a _**henge**_ at the time." Kakashi says.

Just then the bridge comes into view. "It's massive." Sakura says with a gasp.

Five minutes later the boat and the three water-walking ninja's enter a tunnel that leads to a bright clearing. "This is as far as I take you." The boat rower says, pulling the small boat up to a deck set low on the water to allow the passengers to get off.

The group gets off the boat and walks across the dock to reach normal land. "I'll take you all to my place. You all can wait at my place while you adjust and recover from our travels." Tazuna says, leading the group towards his house.

When the group arrives at Tazuna's house, they are met by a young woman, who Tazuna introduces as his daughter Tsunami. The group is then showed to where they will be staying, minus Zabuza and Haku, who choose to stay outside as lookouts.

The group follows Tsunami, but Naruto stays outside. "Thanks Zabuza. I know that this is a bit of an awkward situation, but know that I will keep my end of the deal." Naruto says, then reaches into his seal pouch and pulls out two seal sheets. "I'm going to place these marker seals on you guys. If you ever need help with anything just channel your Chakra into it."

"You know kid, you really are something else. Everyone who has ever faced me, have only had one objective in mind, to defeat me. Or they were unable to stand around me. But you are different; you are giving me a chance. You have this aura of confidence that surrounds you, you show no fear around me, why is that?" Zabuza asks.

"I guess it's because my fears had been broken a few years ago. The only thing that scares me now is losing those that I hold precious to me; my friends and family. Besides, while your power is intimidating, it doesn't hold a candle to my power, Zabuza." Naruto says, then pulses his Chakra for a moment.

Zabuza's and Haku's eyes widen at the massive power that had emitted from Naruto. "Damn kid, that's some serious power that you've got there." Zabuza says.

Naruto grins evilly. "That was only about sixty percent of my full power. I can also go beyond that by shifting into my other form, but there's no need to do so."

Zabuza just blinks. _'Holy hell, just how much power does this kid have, he's like a bottomless pit of power.'_ "Kid, what's your last name again?"

"Well, it's not my real last name since I was adopted, but the name I took is my adoptive father's family name. He isn't really as much a father as he is a brother to me though. Niichan's name is Yuuzuki Tataki. My name is Naruto Tataki." Naruto replies.

' _Yuuzuki Tataki…why does that name sound so familiar?_ 'Zabuza thinks. Then it clicks. "When you say Tataki, do you mean _the_ Tataki family, as in the masters of the Inner Gates?"

Naruto only nods in response.

Zabuza looks in awe at the silverette. _'To think that this kid would be adopted by the heir of the Tataki family…'_ "Hey kid, has your brother taught you anything about the Inner Gates yet?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No, he says that I'm not old enough yet, so he won't teach me. He said when I turn fifteen; he'll start teaching me about the Inner Gates."

"I see…well, I guess that makes sense, seeing as what the Inner Gates do to the body when they're used. That's all I wanted to know, you can go now, kid." Zabuza says.

Naruto nods, and heads inside the house, leaving the two ex-Kiri ninja's alone.

"Zabuza, that boy…he's something…else. I can sense a lot of potential in him. He's going to go far in life, don't you agree?" Haku asks.

Zabuza just nods, not saying anything.

* * *

The group minus Zabuza and Haku are sitting at the table getting ready to have dinner. "So Tazuna, why exactly did you come to Konoha to hire us? Perhaps you can elaborate a bit more on your intentions." Kakashi asks.

Tazuna sighs. "The main reason is because of the fact that someone is trying to prevent the construction of the bridge. That man is the shipping magnet, Gatō. He fears the completion of the bridge because; it will cut down his shipping profits. Those that control the seal, more-or-less control the country."

"And he has hired ninja to make sure that the bridge never gets complete. That makes sense, but you should've told us that when we started out on this mission. _We_ might have a team that can handle this mission, but image if you had gotten a team that couldn't. Naruto is probably the strongest Genin in all of Konoha, hell, possibly the entire Elemental Nations; so you dodged a bullet on that one Tazuna. You also have me, Kakashi of the _Sharingan_ , an ex-ANBU operative." Kakashi says.

The Genin all go wide-eyed, save Naruto, at what Kakashi just said. "You were an ANBU Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asks, earning a nod from the Jōnin.

"What about Kitsune, is he an ANBU too?" Sakura asks, causing Naruto to choke on the water he was drinking, earning an odd look from the Genin.

"Well, yes and no. Kitsune may have all the capabilities and experience to be an ANBU, but he is technically still too young." Kakashi says, half lying.

' _Really Kakashi-san, did you have to go and say that?'_ Naruto asks to Kakashi mentally.

' _Yes, I did. You should know that it was the only way to get her to stop asking questions.'_ Kakashi replies mentally.

"Besides, I don't know if you had noticed when he helped me back then, but he was actually holding back heavily when you sparred with him. He is actually being trained by probably the most renowned ninja in the history of Konoha, which is why he's so powerful at so young an age." Kakashi says, earning a glare from Naruto.

"Who is his teacher Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asks.

Kakashi glances at Naruto, who rolls his eyes and nods minutely while sighing. "His teacher is the Shadow." Kakashi says.

The Genin all gasp in surprise, minus Naruto. "Wait, do you mean the Shadow, as in _the Shadow_?" Sakura asks.

Kakashi nods. "Yes, that's who I mean Sakura. I've met him when I was in the ANBU, and I even know who he is when he's not in uniform. Just like you all know who Kitsune really is, although you may not realize it."

Naruto glares figurative daggers at Kakashi. _'You're saying too much Kakashi-san.'_

' _I'm not giving any specific details Naruto. I only said that they technically know who Kitsune is out of uniform.'_ Kakashi says mentally.

' _That may be true, but how many silver-haired kids my age do you know? I only know one. Kitsune is a silver-haired youth, I am a silver-haired youth. All they need to do is put two and two together.'_ Naruto scolds mentally.

Sai looks at Kakashi then at Naruto, who seems to be glaring daggers at the Jounin. _'Wait a second…isn't Kitsune a silver-haired youth around Naruto's age? Also, his ninjato looked familiar, but why…?'_ He thinks, pondering what he's seen. _'Now that I think about it, his ninjato and Kitsune's ninjato look exactly alike. Their hair and age range is also almost similar. But his blade and hair are what really confirmed my suspicions after Kakashi said the stuff he did. Naruto and Kitsune; they're one and the same…interesting.'_

Naruto notices Sai looking at him, and wonders what going through him mind.

Sai stands up and heads over to Naruto. He bends forward and whispers in the silverette's ear, "Come and talk to me outside, _Kitsune_."

Naruto's eyes widen in surprise. _'See what you've done Kakashi-san?'_ He thinks to Kakashi, then stands up and follows Sai outside. "So, what do you want to talk about Sai?"

"You know what I want to talk about Naruto. Who is the Shadow? How are you an ANBU? Why did you come with us?" Sai asks.

Naruto sighs. "I can only answer one of those questions fully, Sai. I cannot reveal who the Shadow is, but let's just say that I know him personally. The Shadow is why I'm an ANBU, simple as that. The reason I came along was because Kakashi-san asked me to come, more-or-less."

Sai nods as he takes the small amount of information in. "Can I see your ninjato Naruto? I want to examine it."

"Umm…sure, I guess." Naruto says, and heads back inside to grab his ninjato. He then returns to Sai and hands it to him.

Sai unsheathes the blade and scrutinizes it. "This is a beautiful blade Naruto, the workmanship is unbelievable. The pearlescent coating is also very unique, because of how hard it is to do to a blade. The dragon design is beautiful as well. Hmm, what does this say Naruto?"

"It says _Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze Tataki_ , it took me a while to decipher them too. It's written in an older calligraphy format, so I had to do some careful scrutinization."

' _I wonder…'_ Sai thinks, then channels his Chakra into the ninjato, revealing a faint blue outline around the blade. _'Exactly as I thought. This ninjato is made from Charkanite, meaning it can be infused with Chakra to make it numerous times sharper.'_ He then stops his Chakra flow and re-sheathes the ninjato, then hands it back to Naruto. _**(There is no official name for the metal that's used to make Chakra blades and the like, at least that I found, so I'm just going to call it Chakranite.)**_

"Where did you get such a marvelous blade Naruto?" Sai asks.

"It was a gift from my niichan for my eighth birthday." Naruto says, and grasps the blade tightly.

Sai nods. "You should introduce us to this brother of yours someday Naruto."

"I'll see if he can come one day, but he's usually out on missions." Naruto says.

The two then head back inside and retake their seats at the table.

' _So what happened Naruto? What did Sai ask about? Does he know that you're Kitsune?'_ Kakashi asks mentally.

' _Yea, he does. He wanted to know who the Shadow is, but I told him that I couldn't tell him. He also wanted to examine my ninjato, and then asked how I came upon such a beautiful weapon.'_ Naruto replies mentally.

Just then the front door opens and two people walk in. "We're back mom. Grandpa!" The boy that enters yells, then spotting Tazuna, runs to and gives the man a hug.

"Tsunami, Tazuna, who are these people?" The other person asks.

"Kaiza, these are ninjas that were hired by my father to protect him while he finishes construction on the bridge." Tsunami replies. _**(To be honest, I didn't like the fact that Inari was so sad and stuck-up at first, so I decided to keep Kaiza alive in this fic to prevent that.)**_

"I see…well then, I am Kaiza, Tsunami's husband and Inari's step-father." Kaiza says.

"Nice to meet you Kaiza. I am Kakashi Hatake, Jōnin squad leader of team seven. My team consist of Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke. I also have a friend's son along helping with the mission. The silver-haired youth is Naruto, he's the fore-mentioned member. We are from Konoha." Kakashi says.

"Well then Kakashi, who are the two outside. They don't bear the same headbands that you all do." Kaiza states.

"Those are former Kiri ninjas that had originally been sent to assassinate Tazuna; however they are no longer a threat, since Naruto here has persuaded them otherwise. They will now help us complete this mission, so there's no need to worry about them." Kakashi replies.

Kaiza nods. "I see…well then thank you for letting me know Kakashi. I hope you and your team will protect my father-in-law, as though your life depends on it." He says.

"We know what we're doing Kaiza, there's no need to worry. Naruto and I are more that capable of fending off anyone that attacks us, not to mention the two outside, as well as the rest of my team." Kakashi says.

"You don't have to be so mean to my dad, ninja man. He's just saying that you should protect my grandpa." Inari says.

"You know kid; you really shouldn't butt into other people's conversations. It's not polite." Naruto says.

Inari just glares at Naruto. "And who are you to butt into _my_ conversation? You ninjas are all the same, hired thugs that only work for the person with the most money. You probably don't even care about the person who hires you in the first place."

Naruto disappears from his seat and reappears in front of Inari, who he picks up by the collar. "You know kid, we didn't have to continue this mission after we found out that your grandpa lied. We're not doing this mission for the money. Hell, I'm pretty sure we could really care less about the money. We're doing this mission because it's our duty to help those who come asking for it. So stop acting like a stuck-up little brat, and grow up." Naruto growls, then drops Inari and walks out of the house.

"Was that really necessary of that boy Kakashi?" Tsunami asks. "He didn't have to be so harsh towards Inari."

"I understand where you are coming from Tsunami, but Naruto has just grown up with people disrespecting him. He grew up being looked down upon by others until he was adopted. He may have seemed a bit harsh, but he means well…just give him some space, he'll be fine when he returns." Kakashi replies.

* * *

 _ **Another chapter that is split into smaller parts. The rest of the AN will be at the end of the next chapter. Ja ne.**_

#################################

 **Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Ranjinshi=** Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll: Wild Lions

 **Nezumi=** Rat _or_ Mouse (Your choice, they look like more like mice than rats to me)

 **Kirigakure no Jutsu=** Hidden Mist Technique

 **Sairento Kiringu=** Silent Killing

 **Jyūkenhō: Shinsei Hōgeki no Hiraishin=** Gentle Fist Art: Flying Thunder God's Divine Barrage


	8. Mission in Nami - Part 2

The ANBU Shadows

#################################

Chapter Five – Part 2

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **(Romaji edited 7/17/17)**_

* * *

Naruto heads into the nearby forest, and climbs to the top of the tallest tree that he can find. He then sits on the branch using his Chakra, then enters his mindscape. "Hey Kurama-san, I was wondering if you have any new techniques or the like that you could teach me?"

Kurama raises his head after opening his eyes. "Well, there is one thing that I've been holding off on for a while kit, but I do have something that I can teach you that doesn't really have to be held off on." He replies.

"You should know by now that I'm always willing to learn new techniques Kurama-san." Naruto says

"I know, but I'm just letting you know that I still have a few things left to teach you, one of which won't be for a few years." Kurama says. He then brings one of his tails forward and drops a large scroll in front of Naruto. "This is the Kitsune Summons summoning contract. Only one person has ever signed this contract before, meaning that there has only been one summoner of the Kitsunes, ever."

"Only one person? How come no one else has ever signed it?" Naruto asks.

"I've never let anyone else sign it since the attack on Konoha nine years ago. That, and no one has ever earned my trust as you and the other person have. Only one other person has ever earned the trust similar to what you have earned from me." Kurama replies.

Naruto rubs the back of his head. "I guess I'm just a really likable guy then." He says, chuckling.

Kurama rolls his eyes. "Yea, sure, we'll go with that. Anyways, as I was saying, that scroll is the contract that will allow you to summon the Kitsunes whenever you need them…that is, if you want to sign it."

Naruto nods. "Of course I want to sign it. Why wouldn't I?" He asks.

"To open the scroll you need to channel some of my Chakra into it. Then you will have to sign your name in blood and put the fingerprints of your dominant hand underneath your signature. After that you just need to do the handsigns; _I, Inu, Tori, Saru, Hitsuji;_ then plant your hand to the ground. You can have multiple summons, but if you do, then you need to add the summon type at the beginning of the technique name." Kurama says.

Naruto nods, then focuses on Kurama's Chakra after grabbing the scroll in front of him. He then channels that Chakra into the scroll and it unrolls. He bites his thumb, then writes his name in the second panel; before touching each of his fingertips and placing them under his name. He then looks at the only other name on the scroll and smirks. "So my Kaa-chan was the only other person to sign this scroll? That's awesome."

Kurama nods. "Yes kit, your mother was the only other person to have ever earned the amount of trust that she did."

Naruto rolls the scroll back up and returns it to Kurama. "All you need to do is offer a small blood sacrifice and perform the hand-signs I told you, then plant your hand onto the ground. The more Chakra that you put into the technique, the larger and more powerful the summon will be." Kurama says.

Naruto nods in understanding. "Will it work here in my mindscape?"

"I doubt it kit, but you can try." Kurama says.

Naruto forms the hand-signs, then bites his thumb to draw blood. _**"Kuchiyose no Jutsu**_." He says then plants his hand to the ground. A small fox then appears in a poof of smoke.

The fox looks around and notices Kurama. "Heyo, how've you been Kurama-san? It's been a while."

"I'm good Kuryō, it's been too long. How have you been?" Kurama asks.

"I've been fine Kurama-san, what about you? Are you still with Kushina-chan?" Kuryou asks.

"Not anymore, Kushina unfortunately passed away. Her son is actually the one who houses me now. He's the one who summoned you." Kurama says.

Kuryō then notices Naruto. "So you're Kurama-san's host now are you? Aren't you a bit, I don't know, young to be learning the summoning technique?"

"He may be young Kuryō, but he's every bit as powerful as his mother was, if not even more so. He's earned my trust just as Kushina did in the past."

"Well to me, that remains to be seen. So anyways, what did you summon me for?" Kuryou asks.

"I was testing the technique since Kurama-san and I weren't sure if it would work here in my mindscape. Apparently it does, which is a bit strange, but I'm not complaining." Naruto says.

"So this is your mindscape? It reminds me a bit of Kushina-chan's, and to be honest, it's a bit of a dump. You know that you can change it to be more suitable right?" Kuryō asks.

"Really? I guess I've never thought about it, but I guess I could give it a shot. Do you have any kind of scenery in mind Kurama-san?" Naruto asks.

"No, not really kit, the sewer has never really bothered me; I'll leave it up to you." Kurama replies.

Naruto nods then concentrates on changing the scenery. It eventually turns in a large, grassy clearing surrounded about a mile in every direction in trees. A gently flowing stream cuts through the middle of the clearing. The bars of Kurama's cage disappear, allowing Kurama to stand up and move around freely. "Thanks kit, I was getting tired of always lying down and never being able to get up and move around." Kurama says.

"This works, it's a lot better than that dank sewer at least. Nice job kid." Kuryō says.

"Thanks Kuryō-san, I just changed it to somewhere that seems peaceful to me, that's all." Naruto replies.

"It's actually gonna be useful as well; you can use this as another training ground of sorts. There's plenty of space for you to do large scale techniques and the like. Also your mindscape has a minor time-distortion compared to the outside world. You could spend a day in here, but only about an hour will pass outside." Kurama says. "But it only does that if you want it to, otherwise times passes normally."

"Cool, thanks for the info Kurama-san." Naruto says, then remembers something. "What are we going to do about the upcoming Chūnin exams? Am I going to be training in here to prepare?"

"I've been thinking about that, and I've got an idea. I was thinking of having one of the Kitsunes summon you to Mt. Enryū to train. There's also a time distortion there, as well as heavier gravity, so it'll be a challenging ordeal." Kurama replies. "And I was planning on having you be there for a year."

"Mt. Enryū, are you sure about that Kurama-san? Are you sure that he can handle the strain that it will put on his body?" Kuryō asks.

"He may be young, but he's not a weak kid Kuryō. If anything he'll assume it's an obstacle and will strive to overcome it." Kurama replies.

"If you say so; well I gotta get going, it was nice seeing you again Kurama-san, as well as meeting you Naruto-san." Kuryō says, then disappears in a poof of smoke.

"You should also be getting back as well kit; you've been gone for at least an hour or so. That is, unless you want to sleep outside tonight?" Kurama asks.

"Okay then Kurama-san, I'll come back to talk when I get a chance." Naruto says, then leaves his mindscape. He opens his eyes, and sees that he's still atop the tree that he had climbed. He jumps down and rolls when he hits the ground to absorb most of the impact, then makes his way back to Tazuna's place.

When he enters the house, the table has already been cleared, and the only sound he hears is the muffled sound of chatter coming from his group upstairs. He heads upstairs to the room lent to them by Tazuna and Tsunami, then opens the door and enters the room.

"Hey Naruto, where did you run off to?" Sakura asks.

"I just went out for a walk, and to think for a while." Naruto says.

"What did you think about on your walk?" Sakura asks.

"It's really none of your business Sakura." Naruto replies. "Kakashi-san, do you mind coming outside with me for a moment? I want to show you something…privately."

Kakashi looks up from his book, and looks at Naruto. He closes his book and stands up from the chair he was sitting in, then follows Naruto outside. "So what is it that you wanted to show me Naruto?" He asks.

While I was gone I went and talked to Kurama-san and asked if he had anything that he could teach me. I wanted something to distract me." Naruto says. "Anyways, when I asked him if there was anything he could teach me, he said there were a few things, but not many. He did teach me the _**Kuchiyose**_ though, so now I can summon the Kitsunes to help me when I need it."

"Impressive. But since when does the Kyūbi have access to a summoning contract?" Kakashi asks.

"Well, he is a giant Fox made out of nothing but Chakra. It would make sense that he is somewhat affiliated with some kind of summoning creature. I just thought I would let you know that if you ever see a fox around, it's most likely one of my summons." Naruto replies.

Kakashi just nods. "Well if that's all that you wanted to talk to me about, then we should head back inside and get some rest. It's been a long day full of surprises, wouldn't you agree?"

Naruto nods and follows Kakashi back inside. When the return to the room they try to find spots to sleep and try to get comfortable.

* * *

The next day Kakashi takes his team out to practice their Chakra control, leaving Naruto behind to watch over Tazuna and his crew.

"Why aren't you out training with the rest of your squad kid?" Tazuna asks.

"They're out doing Chakra control exercises. I've already completed and mastered my Chakra control practices. I walked here instead of taking the boat, remember?" Naruto replies.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Didn't your sensei say that water-walking was difficult or something?" Tazuna asks.

Naruto nods. "The feet and the hands are the hardest places to direct and maintain Chakra to. I reckon that Kakashi-san is having them climb trees."

"Climb trees? How does that help them train?" Tazuna asks.

"It helps them train, because they can only use their feet to climb the tree. They have to focus their Chakra to their feet and walk up the tree." Naruto says, then walks to the edge of the bridge and beckons Tazuna over. Naruto then steps over the edge, and stands on the side of the bridge. "It's similar to what I'm doing right now. If you practice enough, you can do this almost unconsciously, almost like breathing."

"I see…so I assume that the others are doing exercises like what you're doing?" Tazuna asks.

Naruto nods, and steps back up onto the bridge. "Yes, they're likely training by running up trees. I assume Sai has gotten the highest, followed by Sakura, and finally Sasuke. But that's just speculation from seeing how they battle. _**(I'm not a huge fan of Sasuke, which I why I kind of ignore and dis him in this fic, but I won't do enough to make Sasuke fans despise me, just a bit of bashing on him. I still like him, he's just not my favorite character.)**_

* * *

Sai is currently sitting on a branch a bit over half way over up the tree. Sakura is on the branch below him to the side. Sasuke however is struggling to get beyond a quarter of the way up.

Kakashi just watches his student. _'Hmm…it's just as I expected. Sai and Sakura both have very good control of their Chakra; while Sasuke has decent control, but focuses too much at once, which is why he's struggling to progress up the tree.'_

Sai and Sakura are talking and watching their struggling teammate. "So…Sakura…what do you think of Naruto?" Sai asks.

"He's…different. One moment, he can be completely complacent, and the next, he's completely blown his top. However, when he's calm, he can be extremely generous and caring. He's also insanely strong from what I've seen; on par or perhaps even stronger than Kakashi-sensei."

Sai nods. "That's true, but what do you think of his overall personality. The way he acts or does things, almost like he's doing things by the book. What about his ninjato? Don't tell me that you haven't gotten a good look at it."

Sakura thinks for a moment. "Yeah, he does seem to do things a bit professionally, almost like he's been trained by a strict teacher, but then again, Kakashi-sensei did say that he had been on S-Ranked missions. And the blade he uses… it does look a little familiar, but I haven't really gotten a good look at it."

Sai sighs. _'I guess I'm the only one besides perhaps Kakashi-sensei, that even knows that Naruto is also Kitsune, the guy that he had help train us a while back.'_ He thinks. "In that case, you should ask him to let you look at it. He let me examine it. When you do, actually inspect its details. You'll see why it looks familiar, and you'll likely put a few things together. But when you do, don't tell anyone; I'm sure he has his reasons on why he's keeping it secret, but I dropped the subject once I had my assumptions proven correct."

"What do you mean, 'your assumptions'?" Sakura asks.

"Let's just say, there's a lot more to Naruto than what meets the eye." Sai says, ending the conversation at that, leaving Sakura a bit confused and curious to know what Sai knows about Naruto.

* * *

Naruto sneezes. "You know that when you sneeze, it means that someone is talking about you." Tazuna says.

Naruto rolls his eyes. "I don't believe in stuff like that. And even if it was true, I wouldn't care anyways." He then pulls out a small scroll, and sits down to study it. _'So there are three parts to this technique. First there's rotation, then there's power, and finally there's stability.'_

Naruto puts out his hand and focuses on it. He then begins channeling Chakra into his hand. He concentrates and after around twenty minutes, a few blue tendrils of Chakra begin slowly swirling in his palm. Naruto then releases his concentration and sits back rubbing his hand. _'This is harder than it looks.'_ He thinks, then notices something he had overlooked on the scroll. _**"*It may be easier to perform this if practiced with a water-balloon for the first part and a rubber ball for the second part. The goal is to pop the balloon and ball using nothing but your Chakra.*"**_ _'Hmm, so I should try doing this with a balloon? I guess this technique will have to wait until after the mission then.'_ He thinks.

While Naruto is lost in his thoughts, a boat loaded with mercenaries pulls up to the bridge. The mercenaries then begin climbing up the service ladder. At the same time, two others are heading for Tazuna's house.

Inari is in the bathroom, washing his hands, when he hears the sound of dishes breaking and Tsunami's scream. He runs downstairs and finds two men in the kitchen, Tsunami pressed against the sink in fear. She then notices Inari. "No Inari, don't come in here!" She shouts to him.

The two intruders notice Inari, and the taller on reaches for his sword. "Gatō only said that we needed one hostage, so come on, let's kill this runt." He says.

Tsunami's eyes widen in fear. "He's only a boy; leave him alone, I'll do anything that you ask." She begs.

The taller man drops his hand from his sword. "It looks like you mommy has come through for you kid. You got lucky." He then then grabs Tsunami, and drags her by the arm out of the house.

He gets twenty paces away from the house, then drops to the ground, dead, surprising the other man. Said teammate turns around only gets a glance of the attacker, before he too drops to the ground…minus his head.

"Well that was lame. They weren't even a challenge. Nice work Haku." Zabuza says, bringing Kubikiribōchō to a rest on his shoulder.

Haku leaps down from the roof of the house, and moves towards Zabuza. He then picks up Tsunami, and carries her into the house, and places her on the living room couch. Inari then comes to sit by her.

The mercenaries climbing the ladder get to the top, then wait out of sight of the builders, unaware of Naruto being amongst them. Around five dozen get to the top, followed soon after by a short, stocky man in a black suit.

"Heh, this is going to be too easy." The man says, then gestures in a way that says, 'After you.' The mercenaries then begin moving towards the builders, taking their times, still unaware of Naruto.

One of the builders looks up to wipe the sweat from this forehead, and notices the mercenaries heading towards them. He then shouts out, alerting the rest of the builders, as well as Naruto.

Naruto stands up and stretches, then moves to the guy that noticed the mercenaries, and looks in the direction he's facing. "Gather the builders and move everyone way from the bridge." He says, earning a nod from the man. He then moves to the middle of the bridge, and stands in the path of the mercenaries. "Don't come any farther if you know what's good for you." He shouts.

The mercenaries just laugh, and continue advancing towards Naruto. "And what are you going to do if we don't stop kid? There's only one of you, and five dozen of us. You're outnumbered and outclassed kid." One of the mercenaries shouts back.

Naruto forms a cross with his fingers. _**"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."**_ He says, then a hundred Narutos poof into existence around him. "Now who outnumbers who?" He shouts.

The mercenaries stall for a moment, then resume their advance. "Fine…you may outnumber us, but you're still outclassed, brat!" The man shouts again.

Naruto's eye twitches. The clones all notice this, and take a few steps back. "You did not just call me a brat." He mumbles, leaking killer intent, stopping the mercenaries in their tracks at the potency of said intent. "Never, EVER, call me a brat!" He shouts, rushing forward and drawing his ninjato, surprising the men with his speed. In the blink of eye, five men drop to the ground, clutching their throats. "Who's the asshole who called me a brat?" He roars.

A man with a smirk on his scarred and bruised face, steps forward. "That would be me brat. What are you going to do about it?" He taunts, with the other mercenaries starting to enclose around the two.

"Hmm, I don't know…maybe I'll start by ripping out your tongue. Then I'll cut of your fingers followed by your toes one by one. Then I'll remove your eyes. How does that sound; because it sounds pretty good to me?" Naruto growls.

The man scoffs. "Yeah right, like we'd ever give you the chance to do those things. Maybe you could if it was just you and me, but it's sixty on one, and you are completely surrounded. So what are you going to do now, brat?"

Naruto's eyes flash crimson, and his eye twitches again. "You know what? You are really starting to push it punk. I'm the last person that you ever want to piss off." Naruto growls, barely keeping his anger in check.

"Oh really? And why's that brat? You going to cry to your mommy and daddy and say that we're being mean to you? Go ahead and cry brat, but we're still going to kill you." The man says.

Naruto finally snaps. Calling him a brat was one thing, but insulting his deceased parents was another. Naruto's anger takes over, and red Chakra starts bubbling around his body. He falls forward to his hands and his appearance changes; his whiskers reappear, his nails grow longer and canines grow longer, his eyes turn red and become slitted, and his hair becomes even spikier. Coming from his tail-bone was a tail made of Chakra.

The men all back away from the silverette because of the foul Chakra emitting from him. "What the hell? What are you?" The man that had taunted Naruto shouts in alarm.

Kakashi feels the Chakra emitting from the direction of the bridge, and recognizes it immediately. His team also notices it. "What the hell is that foul Chakra Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asks.

' _Please don't let it be what I think it is.'_ Kakashi thinks. He focuses more intently on the Chakra, then sighs. "I've got to go you three. I want you three to remain here; I'll be back as soon as possible." He says, then bites his thumb and summons Pakkun. "Go find Yuu-san, and tell him 'The cloak has been worn', he'll know what you mean. Go. Now!" Pakkun nods and sprints off like a bullet. Kakashi then heads off in the direction of Naruto.

Naruto lunges at a nearby mercenary and grips him by the throat, then snaps his neck. He kicks two nearby men, and lunges for another. The man tries to stab Naruto, but the Chakra around him stops the blade short. Naruto grabs the blade, snaps it in half, then stabs the broken blade into the man's chest, puncturing his heart. The other men all lunge at Naruto; stabbing, slashing, swinging, punching, kicking; doing anything and everything they can to try and harm Naruto.

A dog-pile happens and for a few moments all is calm on the bridge, then the men all get blown away by a sudden burst of Chakra. When the men look, Naruto now has three tails swaying behind him. By this point, all Naruto can do is give into his anger and Kurama's Chakra. His skin begins peeling away and he begins bleeding. The blood rises to the surface of the Chakra, and as it escapes, it turns into smoke. The smoke then begins accumulating into a sphere around Naruto.

The mercenaries get to their feet and steel themselves to whatever horrors await them, inside the accumulating sphere of smoke.

The sphere then erupts outwards, knocking mercenaries everywhere; across the bridge, into the air, out into the ocean; and creating a massive crater in the bridge. None of the builder's complained however, since none of them were nearby to witness the destruction. Naruto now has four tails, and is covered from head to toe in blood and red-black Chakra. His eyes are white voids of nothingness.

He lunges forwards and slashes mercenary after mercenary with his claws. The more adept mercenaries parry and deflect any attacks that they can. Naruto vanishes and reappears behind four men, and pierces each of them with one of his tails, the vile Chakra burning them alive. Two men try cutting the tails off with their swords, only irritating Naruto more.

Kakashi arrives at the scene, only to freeze in place at the sight of Naruto in his four-tail demon cloak, mercilessly slaughtering the mercenaries. _'I've never seen anything like this. It's as though Naruto has lost sense of his humanity, and has just become a monster.'_ He thinks

Three mercenaries hack, slash, pound, kick, bash, and punch Naruto; but only end up hurting themselves or irritating Naruto even further. Said mercenaries are then knocked off the bridge by one of Naruto's tails.

Naruto then pounces on another mercenary and snaps his neck. He slashes at another two with his claws, and stabs two more with his tails.

Kakashi can only stare in horror at the scene in front of him, unsure of what to do.

Naruto rips the head off of another mercenary, and knocks another off the bridge. Only three mercenaries remain. Two of them choose the smart decision, and run and jump off the bridge, while the final one holds his ground, smirking. "I don't know what you are, but if I'm going down, then I'm taking you down with me." The final mercenary says then throws off his jacket, revealing hundreds of tags on his body; explosive, flame, and shrapnel tags. He rushes at Naruto and grabs the demonized boy, not caring about his skin being burnt. Three seconds later, a flash followed by a massive explosion of flame and metal engulf the two.

Kakashi manages to dive to the ground, only getting hit by a few pieces of metal from the explosion. He slowly gets to his feet and looks in the direction of where the explosion has occurred. As the smoke clears, he is surprised by what he sees.

Naruto is now four times as big as he was before the explosion, and now has a small exoskeleton encasing his body at certain points, as well as six tails _**(I know he doesn't a get a whole lot bigger as he progresses through the demon cloak tail gains, but I chose to do it because it seems more interesting.)**_ He then notices Kakashi and growls.

Kakashi can only stand rooted in place in fear. _'Kami Naruto…what has happened to you? Yuu-san, please hurry, I don't know if I'll be able to hold Naruto off for too long while he's like this.'_ He thinks worriedly, slowly reaching for his weapon pouches, and drawing two kunai.

Naruto cocks his head, then raises it skywards. Blue and red Chakra particles begin to collect together, forming a maroon sphere. The sphere of Chakra then compresses, Naruto opens his maw, and swallows the sphere. Steam flows from his maw, before he rears back, then shoots a massive beam at Kakashi.

Kakashi's eyes widen. _'There's no way I'm going to be able to dodge that.'_ He thinks, and is then grabbed with the force of a freight train, and pulled out of the range of the attack. The beam rockets past where he had been standing just moments before. He looked to see who or what had saved him, and is surprised to see Yuu enveloped in green steam.

"Sorry I'm late Kakashi-san, I ran here as fast as I could. You're lucky that I arrived when I did. If that _**Bijūdama (Tailed Beast Bomb)**_ had hit, there wouldn't be much left of you." Yuu says, then looks to Naruto. _'Oh Naruto-kun, what could've gotten you so worked up to cause you to reach six tails?'_ He thinks.

"Yuu-san, how are we going to stop Naruto? Do you have a plan?" Kakashi asks.

"Well, I doubt that the seal that I gave you will be effective against Naruto in his current state. That leaves only one option." Yuu says, and pulls a scroll from one of his pouches. "This is a special seal that Naruto made under the guidance of Kurama. It will completely shut his Chakra network down, replicating death. Then, all I need to do is jumpstart his Chakra network with my own, and he should be fine. I had hoped that I would never have had to use this seal though." Yuu says.

Naruto just looks at Yuu with his head cocked. He then lunges at Yuu, who pushes Kakashi away, and kicks out at Naruto, knocking him away.

"I would advise you to stay out of this Kakashi-san." Yuu says, not taking his eyes off of Naruto. Kakashi nods, and backs away from Yuu. Just then he feels three Chakra signatures coming towards the bridge.

Kakashi turns around, and sees his team coming towards him from the trees. They reach Kakashi, then stop when they notice Naruto and Yuu. "What is that thing, Kakashi-sensei? Who's the man that's facing it? Why did you leave us behind? Where's Naruto?" Sakura asks.

Kakashi sighs. "I left you three behind, so that you would be safe. That man is Yuuzuki Tataki, Naruto's adoptive father. As for that creature…well, _that_ is Naruto."

"What?!" The three Genin shout. "But…how is that creature, Naruto? What happened to him?" Sakura asks.

"I can't tell you that. All I can tell you is that we need to get out of here. Things are going to get dangerous around here very quickly." Kakashi says, and the pushes his team away from the bridge to a safer distance.

* * *

' _Naruto-kun…I don't want to have to do this, but I may have no choice if I'm going to stop you.'_ Yuu thinks, then lunges forwards towards Naruto. He throws a flurry of punches, driving Naruto backwards, burning his fists from the foul Chakra coat, but ignoring the pain.

Naruto digs his clawed hands and feet into the concrete, and crosses two tails to act as a shield from Yuu's powerful strikes. He then swings one of his other tails and swats Yuu away, who flies through the air, then slides ten yards when he lands, before charging back towards Naruto.

Yuu swings a powerful right kick at Naruto, then drops, and launches a powerful upwards kick to Naruto's jaw. He then kicks out the arms from under Naruto, causing him to fall forwards. Naruto then swats at Yuu again, but Yuu rolls and jumps out of the way.

Naruto pushes himself back up, and lunges at Yuu. He slashes at Yuu with his claws and tries to impale him with his tails. He manages to scratch Yuu a couple of times, but the attacks have little effect.

Yuu grunts from the Kyuubi's Chakra that is burning his skin, but pushes it aside. He throws a right punch, followed by a left hook kick, and finally a hard left uppercut. He then jumps up, and drop kicks the back of Naruto's head.

Naruto just growls in anger, increasing in size again, to six times. He smacks Yuu away and begins charging another _**Bijūdama**_. He then fires three small beams in quick succession, all of which hit Yuu head-on.

Yuu tumbles back around twenty yards, before coming to a stop, and climbing back to his feet. _'Well…this is going to be harder than I thought. Time to take it up a notch.'_ He thinks, then concentrates. _**"Kyōmon: Kyōi no gēto: Atai! (Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder: Open!)"**_ He shouts, his Chakra shooting through the roof. He then rushes at Naruto, unleashing a hail of punches and kicks from all directions.

Naruto tries to withstand the brutal pounding, but is unable to easily defend against the attacks. He then spins his body and stretches out his tails, forcing Yuu to jump away. He then doubles in size, and sprouts another tail, as well as more bones added to the exoskeleton.

Yuu just looks on in worry. _'If this keeps up, he's going to finish his transformation. I don't know if I'll be able to stop the Kyuubi itself, even with the Eighth Gate open. There's always_ that _technique, but I still don't know if that will be enough. I need to end this soon.'_ Yuu thinks solemnly.

Naruto then charges up another _**Bijūdama.**_ He then fires the massive beam at Yuu, who forces Chakra to his legs, and jumps, propelling himself over the enormous attack. He lands, making a large crater, then charges at Naruto.

' _Only one way to find out.'_ Yuu thinks, then enhances his limbs with Chakra, and leans back, kicking Naruto in the chest, sending him into the air. He jumps up, and uses the momentum to keep him in the air, while kicking Naruto higher and higher. He then _**Kage Buyo**_ s above Naruto and drop kicks him, sending him towards the ground. Yuu then appears below, and kicks Naruto skyward again. He attacks in a pattern similar to the _**Ura Renge**_ , but with one major difference; each strike was really three supersonic consecutive strikes.

Naruto was getting pounded, unable to do anything about it. He could only take the punishment that Yuu dished out at the moment, and hope that he would still be able to fight afterwards.

Yuu was starting to slow down. _'No…it's still not enough. I need to do more.'_ He thinks, then focuses his breathing and forms numerous handsigns while kicking and teleporting around with Naruto. _**'Tataki Ōgi: Kami-tekina Shibari. (Tataki Secret Art: Divine Kiss.)'**_ He thinks, then circles his thumb around the tenketsu of the Eighth Gate, before jabbing his thumb into said tenketsu. _**"Shimon: Shi no gēto: Akai! Yattsu no naibu gēto no keisei: Kaihō! (Eighth Gate: Gate of Death: Open! Eight Inner Gates Formation: Release!)"**_ He shouts, then starts to glow red.

Kakashi and his team watch in awe at the fight between the two powerhouses. Kakashi then spots the red glow emitting off of Yuu. "Brace yourselves you three." He says. _'I hope you know what you're doing Yuu-san.'_ He thinks to himself as the four ninjas are then knock off their feet from the surge of power coming from Yuu.

" _ **Kage Bunshin no Justu!"**_ Yuu shouts, and three clones appear. They all then _**Kage Buyo**_ to a cardinal direction around Naruto, and then begin their technique. Hundreds of blows could be heard coming from the four Yuus. Fifty, one-hundred, two-hundred, four-hundred; hundreds of incredibly powerful blows are landed on Naruto. All four Yuus then _**Kage Buyo**_ above Naruto, then drop kick him with everything that they have. _**"Saishū Renge! (Final Lotus!)"**_ They all shout together.

Naruto impacts the surface of the bridge with the force of a meteor, going straight through the structure into the ocean, causing a massive wave of water. His body is in so much pain, that it won't respond to any attempts of movement.

The four Yuus all land on the bridge around the hole and look down, ready in case Naruto resurfaces ready to fight. The real Yuu then dives through the hole into the ocean, diving towards Naruto, using his Eighth Gate enhanced body to rocket through the water. He grabs the seal from his pouch and places it on Naruto's body. The seal begins to glow yellow, followed by Naruto glowing yellow and shrinking back to normal, losing the demonized characteristics. Yuu then grabs the boy and propels to the surface, then out of the water, through the hole, and onto the bridge; where he lays the now unconscious boy on the ground. He then touches the spot just below Naruto's heart, and pulses his Chakra.

Naruto's body spasms for about a minute, then relaxes. He is unconscious, but is breathing normally and deeply.

Yuu sighs in relief, then collapses, he legs no longer willing to support his weight. The clones all disperse, as well as the red glow around his body. Then the pain hits. _'I'm going to be feeling this for weeks to come.'_

* * *

Kakashi and his team slowly get to their feet in time to see the massive wave rocketing away from the bridge. Kakashi then feels Yuu's power level begin to wane. "Come on you three, let's go and check on Yuu-san and Naruto." He says.

The four ninja make their way onto the bridge, and the first thing they notice, are the numerous cracks all about the surface. _'Well…Tazuna's not going to be too thrilled about this.'_ Kakashi thinks. The four than make it to the hole made by Yuu slamming Naruto through the bridge. _'Tazuna's definitely not going to be happy.'_ He thinks.

The four make it to an unconscious Naruto, and exhausted Yuu. "Heh-heh, it's finally over. I used the seal, and Naruto-kun will be fine." Yuu says, quietly.

"Kakashi-sensei, who exactly is this man? All you said was that he is Naruto's father." Sakura says.

"That's because he _is_ Naruto's adoptive father. He's also his teacher and brother figure. You'll never hear Naruto call Yuu-san, anything other than niichan. Yuu-san is also my superior." Kakashi replies.

"What was that red glow that was coming off of him earlier?" Sakura asks.

"That was me opening the Gate of Death, little lady. My family specializes on the Inner Gates. We've even made it possible to survive the opening of the Eight Gate, which would normally kill a person afterwards. They would literally self-combust from using all of their Chakra." The group hears Yuu reply quietly.

"Kakashi-sensei, what are these Inner Gates that he just spoke of?" Sakura asks.

"The Inner Gates are eight major tenketsu in every person's body. They work as Chakra limiters, valves that control the amount of Chakra that your body can utilize at once. The Inner Gates is a forbidden technique, because of the fact that it uses Chakra to force the body to overexert itself and work beyond its normal limits. The final gate is called the Gate of Death, because those that open it will inevitable perish." Kakashi explains. "Well…except for the Tataki family that is. They are the only known people to have ever survived the opening of the final gate."

"That's…incredible. Who would've thought that Naruto was related to such a powerful family?" Sakura asks.

"Enough questions, we should get Naruto and Yuu-san back to Tazuna's, so that they can recover. After a few days of rest, we'll finish guarding Tazuna and the builders while they repair then finish building the bridge." Kakashi says. He then bends down and pulls Yuu to his feet, draping Yuu's arm over his own shoulders. Sai picks up the unconscious Naruto, and the group makes their way to Tazuna's place.

It takes almost an hour to return to Tazuna's place because of the slow pace that they had to move at for Yuu's sake. Tazuna answers the door, and scowls at the unkempt appearances of the two Tatakis. "Whoa, they look like they just came from inside of a meat grinder." He says.

"Let's get them upstairs and lay them down so that they can rest. I'll let Yuu-san explain more details about himself and Naruto, if he wishes to." Kakashi says.

The group heads upstairs and enters the room, and the two carrying the Tatakis, lay them on two beds. Tazuna appears carrying a med kit, which Kakashi takes. He heads to Yuu, and checks him over, to make sure he isn't too badly injured; then cleans and bandages any cuts. He then heads to Naruto and strips him to his boxers, and begins to clean and bandage any wounds. The Genin watch in awe at the speed and professionalism that Kakashi uses while bandaging Naruto. Kakashi then covers Naruto with the blanket on the bed.

"He's got some torn muscles, a few broken bones, and numerous cuts and bruises; not to mention the full body burn from the Chakra that had covered his body. But other than that, he'll be fine. He'll probably be up and about in three to five days." Kakashi says.

Yuu nods. "If you all want know what took place at the bridge today, I'm willing to tell you. However…anything that I tell you cannot leave this room. Understand? Kakashi-san, I believe there are some silencing seal in Naruto's seal pouch. Can you put one on each of the walls?" Yuu asks. Kakashi nods, then grabs Naruto's pants, and rummages through the pouches on the belt, before drawing out four seals. He then places one on each wall.

Yuu then goes on to explain more about Naruto. How his parents died when he was born. How the Kyuubi was sealed inside of him. How he grew up ostracized and tormented by the villagers. How he took Naruto in, and eventually adopted him. He leaves out the part of him being an ANBU, and training Naruto to be an ANBU. He then begins to describe the fight that took place on the bridge. After he finishes explaining, he waits in silence for some kind of reaction.

The Genin all sit in silence as they process the information that Yuu had just told them.

' _Wow…Naruto is really something else. To grow up all alone, but still come out the way he is, is a feat in itself.'_ Sakura thinks.

' _Hmm…it seems that there is more to Naruto than meets the eye. I need to find out more if I'm ever going to become strong enough to beat_ him. _'_ Sasuke thinks.

' _So that explains why Naruto is so intolerant of authority figures. It also makes sense on how he is so far beyond the rest of us.'_ Sai thinks. He then looks at Yuu, then gestures towards Naruto, before putting a hand over his face, mimicking that of a mask. Yuu just looks away, not saying anything.

' _It seems that one of the Genin knows that Naruto-kun is an ANBU. I wonder if the others know.'_ Yuu thinks. _'I'll have to ask that boy later.'_ He then notices movement outside the window. He turns and sees Haku and Zabuza sitting on the roof. "Kakashi-san, why are there two nuke-nins at this house?" He asks.

"If you mean Zabuza and Haku, then yes, I know that they're here. They aren't a problem. Naruto already handled them. Now they're just waiting for us to be finished here so that we can all return to the village. Naruto struck up a deal with them, and in return for them helping us, vowed to be the overseer of any punishment that they receive when we return to the village." Kakashi replies.

"I see…" Yuu says and trails off, falling asleep midsentence.

* * *

Three days later, Naruto begins to stir in his sleep. He opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. _'How did I get back to the house? Wasn't I at the bridge?'_ He thinks, then slowly sits up.

"So you're finally awake, eh? I was told that you would be out for another day or so." Yuu says.

Naruto turns to the voice. "Niichan? What are you doing here? Wait…did you say another day or so? How long have I been out? What happened?" He asks.

"You've been out for around three days. I'm here because Kakashi-san sent for me. You lost control on the bridge, and your demon cloak took over. You got all the way to seven tails, before I managed to subdue you. You're not he only one who's been resting though. I have been resting as well. Subduing you was no easy task." Yuu replies.

"Three days? What about the bridge? What about Kakashi-san and his team, are they all right?" Naruto asks.

"They're fine; they're out helping Tazuna and the other builders repair the damage that we caused to the bridge. They aren't too happy, but they'll get over it. All that matters is that everyone is safe." Yuu says.

"So…niichan. How exactly did you stop me? I'm guessing you had to resort to the Inner Gates?" Naruto asks.

Yuu nods. "Yea, it was the only way to be able to stop you as you were. I actually had to open all eight gates, as well as use the _**Saishū Renge**_. I'm still sore as hell from them, and I'm going to be for a few weeks."

"You had to open all eight gates _and_ use that technique? I never thought that I could cause you that much of a problem in my demon cloak form, to force you to have to go all out." Naruto says.

"I'm just glad that I arrived when I did. If you had had even one more tail, I don't think that I would have been able to stop you. After I subdued you, I had no choice but to use the seal that you made, since the normal one was nowhere near strong enough." Yuu says.

"Wait…do you mean _that_ seal? As in the one that Kurama-san taught me how to create?" Naruto asks.

Yuu nods. "Yes, it was a crimson colored scroll with the Uzumaki Crest on it, that that you made just for emergencies. And well…I think that this counted as one." He replies

Naruto nods. "Yea, I guess it did. Well, anyways, did anyone else get hurt during my rampage?"

"Your team didn't get hurt, but I can't say the same for Gatou and the mercenaries. From what Kakashi-san told me, you killed almost all of the mercenaries. We're not sure what happened to Gatou though, we suspect he got caught up in one of your _**Bijūdama**_ s, and was vaporized." Yuu replies.

Naruto sighs. "Well…I guess that means that Tazuna won't have any more issues then, if he no longer has to worry about Gatō."

"That's true, but your rampage also caused a lot of damage to the bridge, and the builders weren't too happy." Yuu says. "But it's not like you did it on purpose, you tend to lose it when your demon cloak activates. Speaking of it, what pissed you off so much?"

Naruto thinks for a moment. "One of the mercenaries call me a brat a number of times, which you know ticks me off. But what pushed me over the edge, was when he started talking about my parents. Then everything is a blur, too difficult to fully make out."

' _Well…I understand that he doesn't like being called a brat, but I didn't realize that his parents was such a touchy subject.'_ Yuu thinks.

"But enough about my rampage. Guess what Kurama-san taught me, niichan?" Naruto asks.

"Please don't tell me it's another battle form. I don't think that I can handle you having another hectic transformation." Yuu says.

Naruto shakes his head. "No, it's not a battle form or anything like that. It's likely to be much more useful. Kurama taught me the _**Kuchiyose**_ , so now I can summon foxes."

"Yuu's eyes widen a bit. "You learned how to summon? Since when has the Kyuubi been a summon?" He asks.

"Well Kurama-san doesn't have a summoning contract himself; he's just the keeper of the contract scroll." Naruto replies. "And also I'm supposed to be leaving for a year to train for the Chuunin exams."

"Oh, well…I guess that makes sense. So you're going to be gone for a year? That means that you'll end up missing the Chūnin exams in three months, and will have to wait until next year." Yuu says.

' _That's not necessarily true, kit.'_ Kurama says to Naruto mentally.

' _What do you mean Kurama-san? You said I would be gone for a year, so wouldn't I miss the exams?'_ Naruto asks mentally. _'Oh wait, didn't you say there was some kind of time distortion?'_

' _Exactly. While you may be at Mt. Enryū for a year, you'll only be gone from the Elemental Nations for about two months. Time works differently there. So no, you won't miss the Chūnin exams.'_ Kurama replies mentally.

"According to Kurama-san, I won't miss the Chūnin exams, niichan. He said that I'll be back about a month before it begins. Apparently one year where I'll be going, is equal to about two months here." Naruto says.

"Well that's good. I wouldn't want you to have to wait another year to become Chūnin. Although, you'll technically end up waiting a year anyways." Yuu says. "You should get some more rest Naruto-kun, I'll wake you up later when it's time to eat."

Naruto nods, then lies back down and closes his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

Yuu slowly moves to the edge of his bed, and stands up, stretching his stiff muscles, before leaving the room.

 _ **======== Four Days Later========**_

Naruto, Yuu, Kakashi, and his team, as well as Zabuza and Haku, were all at the bridge being seen off by Tazuna, Inari, Tsunami, and Kaiza.

"Well, I guess we'll be heading off then. I'm sure that we'll come by to visit sometime." Kakashi says.

"It was nice of you guys to stay and help, even if I had lied about the mission at first. I'll find some way to make it to Konoha." Tazuna says.

"There's really no need Tazuna. We were glad to have been able to help. Besides…it's not about the money; we helped because we wanted to." Naruto says. The six Konoha ninja and two Kiri ninja then turn around, and begin walking across the bridge away from the Land of Waves.

"You know Tazuna, now that the bridge is finished, it needs a name." Kaiza says.

Tazuna thinks for a moment. "I've got a great one. It'll be the Great Ninja Bridge, named in respect of the ninjas who helped us complete the bridge so that we can have a more prosperous future."

"I think that's a great name Tazuna." Kaiza says.

* * *

The group reaches the Konoha main entrance, and are immediately surrounded by a number of ANBU members. "Those two cannot enter beyond this point. If they do, then we will be forced to take action." An ANBU wearing a Taka mask says.

Naruto steps forward. "These Kiri ninja are under my supervision Taka. You will move your squad aside, or we will force our way through. It's your choice."

"Is that a threat runt? Who do you think you are, trying to order an ANBU around?" Taka growls.

Yuu steps forwards this time, and leans in to whisper in Taka's ear. "If you won't listen to Kitsune, maybe you'll listen to a superior officer. By order of Lynx, the Shadow, you and your squad will stand down, or you will be suspended from active duty. It's your choice Taka."

Taka then backs away in surprise, before gesturing to his squad to back away. "Any issues that are caused will be on your head boy."

The group then enters Konoha, and heads towards the Hokage Tower. "What did you say Yuu-sama? I've never seen an ANBU seem scared before." Sakura asks.

"Let's just say, that knowing the right people, can work wonders." Yuu replies.

Kakashi and Naruto look at each other, then at Yuu, thinking the same thing. _'He just threated Taka with his superior position in the ANBU.'_

Ten minutes later, the group arrives at the Hokage Tower, only to have another ANBU bar their way. "Those two are not allowed inside." He says.

"Move aside Saru, that's an order. "Yuu says in a commanding tone."

Saru scrutinizes Yuu for a moment, before recognizing the silver hair of not only Yuu, but Naruto and Kakashi as well. "I apologize; I did not realize that I was out of line. You may proceed sirs."

The three Genin's jaws hit the ground. _'What the hell? An ANBU actually acknowledged them, and said that he was out of line?'_ They all think at the same time. The other five ninja all roll their eyes. The group then enters the building, and heads up to Hiruzen's office. Yuu knocks on the door, then they wait for entrance. "Enter." They all hear, then enter.

"Team Seven, Yuuzuki Tataki, Naruto Tataki, and captured Kiri ninja, returning and reporting in for debriefing." Kakashi says.

Hiruzen looks up. "Yuu? What are you doing with that group? You weren't part of that mission."

"There was an issue that called for my attention on their mission. Naruto-kun lost control, and I was called in to help suppress him before he got too out of hand." Yuu replies.

Hiruzen nods, then looks to the two Kiri ninja. "And why did you bring these two Kiri ninja back?"

"Niichan had no say in that matter. After defeating Zabuza, I made him a deal. Either he could come back as a prisoner, or I could execute him then and there. He chose the former choice, and I vowed to be the overseer of whatever consequences that they receive." Naruto answers.

Hiruzen looks at Naruto. "You do realize that you are taking a huge risk, and possibly putting the village in danger, yes? If these two cause any issues, it will be on your head. Understand?"

"I understand Jiji. I've already told them that they will likely be able to roam the village, but must have an escort nearby at all times. At least until they become trustworthy enough." Naruto says.

Hiruzen nods. "Yes, that is true. As for the mission pay, only those that were on the original roster will receive pay. Dismissed…all but Naruto and the two Kiri ninja."

The rest of the group leaves the room, leaving Naruto and the two ex-Kiri ninja, as well as Hiruzen. Hiruzen then tells his assistant to call Ibiki. Naruto stiffens. "Is Ibiki really necessary, Jiji?"

Hiruzen nods. "Unfortunately. He's not going to harm them, I can assure that; he's just going to interrogate them, nothing too crazy."

"Nothing too crazy? Ibiki is insane; he doesn't know the meaning of too crazy. He's the head of the T&I corps. Since I am overseeing their punishments, I want to recommend Inoichi Yamanaka instead. He may not be as high up in the T&I, but he's nowhere near as insane as Ibiki." Naruto exclaims.

Hiruzen thinks for a moment. _'That is true. Ibiki is a bit…overzealous when it comes to interrogating.'_ He then tells his assistant to cancel calling for Ibiki, and instead to call of Inoichi.

Naruto sighs and his body relaxes. "Thanks Jijī. I just don't trust Ibiki very much. I promised Zabuza and Haku that no harm would come to them. I was thinking an ANBU escort of my choice, for six months. That will be their punishment. If that a time period goes by, and they have a clean report, then they can become official Konoha ninjas."

Hiruzen nods. "That sounds decent enough. An ANBU could easily diffuse any situation that comes up as well. Who do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking that Wolf would be good for this. Besides, he owes me a few favors." Naruto says.

"Wolf? Why him though? Oh…I forgot about that. Yes, I agree, Wolf would be perfect for this." Hiruzen says, then touches a small seal.

A few seconds later, an ANBU appears. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" He then notices Zabuza and immediately draws his ninjato.

"At ease Wolf. He's not here to attack Jijī. I brought him here. Jijī can explain why you've been called here." Naruto says, stepping between Wolf and Zabuza.

"Wolf…Naruto has chosen you to be these two ex-Kiri ninja's ANBU watcher for the next six months. All you need to do is keep an eye on them, and make sure that they don't cause any issues." Hiruzen says. "Also make sure to wait for Inoichi, I just called for him. He should be arriving shortly."

Wolf re-sheathes his ninjato. "As you wish Hokage-sama. Let's go you two."

The three leave the office, then Naruto turns to Hiruzen. "I'm going to be gone for a few months, Jiji. Kurama-san is going to have me summoned somewhere, so that I can finish my training."

Hiruzen nods, and quickly jots down a note about Naruto being gone. "Then I wish you luck on your training. Make sure that you're back before the Chūnin exams."

Naruto nods. _'Okay Kurama-san, I'm ready to go.'_

' _All you need to do is summon Kuryō, and tell him that you're ready.'_ Kurama replies.

Naruto bites his thumb. _**"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."**_ He says, then a poof appears then fades, revealing Kuryō.

"Heya Naruto-sama. What's up?" Kuryō asks.

"I'm ready to go to Mt. Enryū now. I just need you to have them summon me there." Naruto says.

Kuryō nods, then disappears in a poof of smoke.

"When did you learn summoning Naruto?" Hiruzen asks.

"I learned it from Kurama-san during the mission. He allowed me to sign the Kitsune Summoning Contract. I'm actually going to Mt. Enryū so that I can finish my lessons in –" Naruto is interrupted midsentence as he disappears in a poof of smoke, leaving Hiruzen with an unfinished answer.

' _Oh well, I'll just ask him what he was going to say when he returns.'_ Hiruzen thinks.

* * *

 _ **Finally finished Chapter Five. This is my longest chapter yet. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter since lots of things happened. Like always, I also hope that the fight scenes were good enough for you all. I think that I did fairly well on the Demon Cloak massacre, as well as the Demon Cloak Naruto vs Eight Gates Yuu fight. Anyways, in the next chapter, Naruto is going to be at Mt. Enryū so that he can finish continue training for the upcoming Chūnin exams. However, I'm not going to write about it. Instead, I actually have another idea in store for Yuu. If you want an idea of what Naruto does, just picture a combination of DBZ when Goku and Gohan go into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and King Kai's planet. As always, the translations are below. Constructive criticism is appreciated, flames are not. Ja ne.**_

* * *

 _ **Let me know if I have missed any re-writes of the romaji forms of the techniques and I'll fix 'em when I get a chance.**_

#################################

 **Bijūdama=** Tailed Beast Bomb

 **Tataki Ōgi: Kami-tekina Shibari=** Tataki Secret Art: Divine Kiss

 **Saishū Renge=** Final Lotus


	9. Author's Note

**_I apologize to my readers, followers and the like. I had some serious things come up that I needed to deal with. Due to these things, I haven't been able to work on the story as much as I would like to...to an extent. Chapters 6 through 9 are already completed, but I don't have those chapters currently in my possession. When I finally get a hold of them, I'll continue working on this fic. Until then, I ask for all my readers to be patient until I manage to get myself back on track. Also, I will be reworking the chapters with a new layout when it comes to the Japanese technique names, both in terms of proper romaji format and with their definitions posted directly after when they first appear —_** **_such as;_** _ Jyūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō (Gentle Fist Art: Eight-Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms)_. **_Other than this throughout the technique name's first appearances, they will remain where they are at the end of a chapter they first appear in._**

 ** _—Ja ne_**

* * *

 _ **As of this moment in time (10/7/2017), this story will be considered on hiatus until further notice. I just don't have the time to work on it, not to mention I'm struggling on remembering what I wrote for chapter 6. I lost chapter 6 about nine months ago, and before I even realized that it was missing, I had already completed chapters 7 through 9. I don't want to post them however, since a fair amount of progression took place during chapter 6, and there may be confusion as to certain events that take place during the following chapters. I apologize again to my readers, followers, and the like for stating with this story, even though I've been slacking on it, but as I said above, the story is now on hiatus indefinitely, until I can figure out how to rewrite the missing chapter so that flows smoothly between what's been posted as well as what I've already written.**_

 ** _—Ja ne_**


	10. Paradoxical Anomaly (Abridged)

**_Disclaimer: _**_I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 _ **So before I get too far ahead of myself, let me say that I apologize to those who have been following TAS since I initially started writing it. I originally had a full-scale chapter typed out for this chapter, but alas, I ended up misplacing it. So... instead of knocking myself silly trying to remember exactly what it was that I had written, I'm instead going to give an abridged version of it. Also note, it will take me a little while before I get the follow-up chapter posted, but do keep in mind that this fic is not dead, I'm just really busy with real life issues, such as my job... *sigh*. Anyways, enough of my self wallowing, here's the expedited version of chapter six.**_

 _ **3/5/19: Corrected some errors and stuff and added disclaimer**_

* * *

Yuuzuki woke up to do his daily calisthenics, which included a jog around the village, where he was met up by Gai and Lee. The trio had a decent conversation, where it was revealed to Lee that Yuu was Naruto's adoptive brother/father figure. The trio also talked about a number of things, primarily Yuu and Gai about the upcoming Chūnin exams.

After continuing on their ways, Yuu returned to his hidden room within the ANBU HQ where he showered and changed into his normal shinobi apparel, before going to see Hiruzen about getting a possible mission. Hiruzen gives Yuu a mission that had just come in from the sensory unit regarding a massive chakra anomaly, and that they wanted someone to go and investigate it, and possibly bring back any kind of material proof from the location for study.

Yuu goes to the location of the anomaly, and as he approaches it, he notices that the surrounding area seems to be de-aging, as a number of the extremely old trees seem to get lusher and smaller. As he continues towards the anomaly he notices that the ambient sounds of nature seem to disappear as well. He eventually reaches the location of the anomaly; and even though he can't see anything that could be the cause, he can definitely feel the swirling of the ambient chakra around him.

Yuu then proceeds to gather patches of grass, leaves, bark, ad soil, before proceeding to head back to Konoha where he is stopped by a team of ANBU, who demand to know his business in Konoha. After a collaboration of back-and-forth code phrases, the ANBU eventually take Yuu to see Hiruzen, which causes Yuu to do a double-take.

Hiruzen is now at least 30 years younger than he was when he took his mission, leading Yuu to believe that the anomaly was actually some sort of space-time tear. After asking Hiruzen to dismiss the ANBU and to put up a privacy seal, Yuu begins his recapping of his situation, which surprises Hiruzen, who then surprises Yuu when he tells him that he is currently in the time of the Third Great Ninja War.

After the meeting, Yuu is then placed as a temporary member of that time's Team Seven; Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara. After meeting up with the team and introducing himself to them, they then begin their trek towards their objective, the Kannabi Bridge. They split up into two teams; Minato and Rin, and Kakashi and Obito, with Yuu shadowing the second team.

The trio make their way towards their objective, when they get attacked in a bamboo grove. Kakashi gets separated from Obito, leaving him on own, causing him to be attacked by multiple ninja, overwhelming him. Yuu then assists Obito by quickly knocking out a majority of the enemy ninja, allowing Obito a bit of breathing room, before they regroup with Kakashi and continue to their objective.

After destroying the bridge in a bout of explosions that would make Deidara envious, the trio make their way to the rendezvous point that had been made before they began. Yuu leaves the two younger ninja alone and goes to support Minato in a friendly game of, 'Who can defeat the most enemies faster', which ends up in a draw. Yuu then goes to find the younger males, and finds Kakashi and Obito, as well as Rin, in a difficult situation.

Suddenly a massive tremor can be felt as it almost knock Yuu off his feet. A plume of smoke erupts from the dome-like cave that Kakashi, Obito and Rin were in. Yuu hears Kakashi and Rin shout Obito's name and knows that something bad must have happened. After a few minutes of waiting, he sees Kakashi and Rin appear at the top of the dome, but there is no sign of Obito.

Yuu then creates a shadow clone that goes towards the duo, while he hides off to the side behind a tree, and drops his chakra signature as low as he can. The clone helps the duo fight off a team of enemy shinobi that had lied in waiting to ambush any enemies, before the trio begin their way to the rendezvous.

The real Yuu then the proceeds to use his _**Eioka**_ to travel through the dome and finds the battered body of Obito, whom he draws into his shadow and brings outside the dome. He then proceeds to unseal a medium sized scroll as well as a number of sheets of paper with seals on them, which he places on Obito, before sealing his now stabilized, unconscious form into the medium scroll and pocketing it.

Yuu the proceeds to head towards the rendezvous to meet up with the rest of Team Seven, before the now four ninja make their way back to Konoha. Once arriving they make their way to the Hokage Tower, ad proceed to debrief themselves on their mission. Yuu then proceeds to say behind after the rest of Team Seven leave, so that he can speak to Hiruzen privately.

Yuu then explains what he had done about Obito and that he isn't truly dead like Team Seven thought, though, he asks Hiruzen to keep this quiet. Hiruzen asks why and Yuu explains that they don't currently have the proper equipment in order to properly treat Obito's injuries at this time, and that he plans on taking Obito back to his time period to be properly treated, as well as taking any of the backfire from his actions.

Hiruzen accepts his and proceeds to tell Yuu that while he was away with Team Seven, he had the current sensory corps work on a method so as to get Yuu back to his own time period, and hat he has received word that they may have found a means to do so, and that Yuu should head to see them as soon as he's ready to leave.

Yuu then, after leaving the Hokage's office, proceeds directly to the sensory corps' building, where he is quickly ushered into a large room with a massive seal painted on the floor and up onto the walls. After stating that he is ready, the ninja all the begin going through identical hand seals, before crouching and placing their right hand on a portion of the seal, causing the seal to glow brighter and brighter, before a flash occurs. When Yuu can finally see again, he notices he's standing just outside the Hokage Tower.

He then proceeds to go and speak to Hiruzen to see if he's back in his time, and sure enough, the elderly Hokage he knows is there behind the desk. Yuu doesn't even need to say anything due to the fact that since he was in the past, of course the future self of Hiruzen would already know what had happened. Yuu provides Hiruzen the samples he had collected for the mission, collects his pay, and proceeds to the hospital to meet his family doctor, Tsuki, and ask about offering assistance for his new 'ward'.

Tsuki and Yuu end up, more-or-less, robbing equipment - albeit spares in storage - from the hospital and proceed back to the ANBU HQ where Yuu unseals Obito on Naruto's bed and Tsuki proceeds to examine the unconscious boy before proceeding to use a technique that she had developed for serious injury situations like these. Afterwards, she proceeds to connect the machines to Obito so that they can monitor his status, as well as help his body recover due to the medicinal liquids that will be administered into his blood stream.

* * *

 ** _I apologize if this chapter seems a little rushed and is kind of all over, but then again, that's not too far off from the truth, it kind of is. There was a lot of effort put into the original chapter, that I was almost devastated when I lost my rough draft notebook. However, as I believe I said in the AN Chapter, by the time I realized that I had misplaced it, I already had the next three chapters written out. Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, but please don't expect it anytime too soon. Life come first, fanfiction comes second. That's all I really have to say. Ja ne._**


	11. Obito's Recovery - Part 1

The ANBU Shadows

* * *

Chapter Seven – Part 1

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer: _**_I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

 ** _""Notice: Further into the chapter, more-so the second part, there is a bit of 'suggestive' interaction but it's very minute, and it's not to be mistaken for a sex scene. There will be no pairing whatsoever in this fic.""_**

* * *

 ** _===About Two Months Later===_**

Obito stirs from a stiff slumber. He opens his sole eye to an unrecognized room, before sitting up, and letting the covers pulled up to his chin fall into his lap. He looks around the room and notices a large amount of ninja gear decorating the allotted space. He looks to his left and spots another bed - the covers crisp, with not a wrinkle to be seen.

He goes to move the covers and spots the white color of bandages wrapped around his left arm. He throws back the covers and sees that he's only in a pair of boxers, as well as his body almost being completely covered in bandages. He then remembers the cave-in, how he sacrificed himself in order to save Kakashi, how he had Rin transplant his **_Sharingan_ ** in place of Kakashi's lost eye as a gift for becoming Jōnin. He reaches to his face and feels the bandages covering the left half of his face.

He turns, throwing his feet off the bed and placing them on the floor; before beginning to unwrap the bandages from his arm and head, letting them drop to the floor between his feet. He slowly pushes himself to his feet the waits, allowing his atrophied body a chance to adapt to his diminished strength. He then slowly begins to wobbly walk, forcing the slow moving blood in his limbs to circulate.

He crosses the room and comes to a darkened doorway and peers inside, noticing it's a bathroom. He moves to the toilet after turning on the light and sits on it, reaching down to undo the bandages from his left leg followed by his torso and waist, before moving to stand in front of the sink and looking into the mirror. Half is face is covered by thick folding scars and his left eye is closed. He runs his hand over the scarring and notices it has a slightly rough texture, before exiting the bathroom, hobbling across the room.

He enters another room and notices that it's a kitchen. He looks around it and spots a glass near the sink and moves to it before picking it up, checking if it's clean, then filling it from the tap. As he raises the glass to drink, a poof of smoke appears in the room, and when it clears, Obito spots a man that seems vaguely familiar. He then remembers Yuu from the mission.

Yuu looks to the now empty bed that Obito was on, before turning and noticing that the bathroom light is on. He spots movement from the corner of his eye, and turns towards it, seeing Obito in the kitchen. "So the dead man final rises. How are you feeling?"

Obito stares at Yuu, then lowers the glass still raised towards his mouth. "Yuu-sama?" His voice craks from underuse. "Where am I?"

"Drink your water –– as for where you are, you're in the room that my son and I share. My son isn't in the village at the moment, so you've been occupying his bed in the meantime while you're recovering." He says as Obito lifts the glass and drinks. "What do you remember?"

Obito swallows before speaking, "I remember the mission and how we split up. I remember getting in an argument with Kakashi, finding our target and Rin, as well as how Kakashi and I bested our target. I remember the cave-in and how I sacrificed my own safety in order to protect Kakashi from a falling boulder that would've crushed him. I remember failing to get Kakashi a gift for his becoming a Jōnin, so I had Rin take and transfer my **_Sharingan_** in place of Kakashi's damaged eye. Then… nothing. I don't remember anything after that." He says hoarsely before taking another drink of water.

Yuu nods before moving to sit on his bed. "You were in bad shape when I rescued you. Half your body was crushed from the weight of the boulders on top of you. It's a miracle that the other half of your body was only bruised and scraped. You were pretty much dead when. I gotta ask –– though I doubt you'll know –– do you know have an estimate of what today's date is?"

Obito cocks his head, thinking, before shaking his head.

"That's not too surprising... but, this isn't exactly the same Konoha that you know. It's actually Konoha nineteen years in the future."

Obito stares at Yuu. "What do you mean, it's nineteen years in the future? I don't feel nineteen years older, nor do you or I look it."

"Actually, I technically wasn't supposed to be there for you mission to destroy the Kannabi Bridge." Yuu says. "At the time of that mission, I was only about fourteen. I was about two years older than Kakashi was then, and one year older than you are now. The room we're in... it's been my room for the last twenty-five years since my parents died. The only reason I was there for that mission was because of a mission that I took from this time period, which ended up sending me into the past via some sort of time anomaly.

"I took a mission that I shouldn't have taken, and interacted with people then more than what was particularly wise. I also did something else I really shouldn't have... I rescued you and you back here, to this time. But, I couldn't just leave an ally behind - a friend - if I knew there was something that I was able to do about it. I believe your words were: 'Those who abandon their mission are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.'" Yuu says, earning a look of surprise from Obito.

"How do you know that? I only told-" "Kakashi?" Obito starts, but is interrupted by Yuu.

"Yes, I know that saying. Kakashi-san and I are good friends. We've been on many missions together over the years. Heh, the conversation he and I had when I returned to this time was interesting. To be honest, he actually doesn't even know that I had brought you back, or had even rescued you for that matter. I'll let you be the one to do the honors when the time comes."

"You said my body was crushed, and that I was technically dead. If that's true, than how am I even alive?"

"That's a good question. When I brought you back to this time, I met with my family's doctor, and called in a huge favor. My doctor is a master of restoring and rebuilding bodies, only surpassed by Tsunade of the Sannin. She was a bit hesitant at first - dealing with someone who everyone knew was supposed to be dead - but eventually relented and helped save you. You've been slowly recovering over the past two months, with my doctor periodically checking up on you since she took you off of the machines that we technically stole from the hospital. If you ever get the chance to meet her, make sure to thank her for taking the risk that she did in helping save you."

Obito nods, then finished his water, before making his way back to the borrowed bed and sitting. "What are you going to do once your son gets back?"

"I don't think that he'll mind letting you continue to borrow it until you are fully recovered. He should actually be returning soon, so you'll be able to meet him. He actually not my son by blood, since I adopted him. Off that topic though, if you want, you can go and shower or bathe. I'll loan you some of his clothes for when you are done."

Obito nods before making his way to the bathroom. Yuu sighs and rubs his hands down his face before getting up and heading to Naruto's dresser. He grabs a t-shirt, pants and clean boxers, before heading to the bathroom, knocking, entering, placing the clothes on the sink, then exiting. He heads into the back room and heads to the back wall, and grabs a rolled up futon and blanket, before returning to the main room and setting the items against the wall near the heater vent. He then heads into the kitchen to prepare a meal. As he's cooking, a poof of smoke appears in the main room. Yuu turns as it's clearing and grins as he notices who it is.

Naruto looks around the room, glad to be home. He's gained a few inches, and definitely gained a little bulk as well as some color to his skin. He's still lean, but if looked at closely, the signs of strenuous workouts are clearly noticeable. He sniffs the air and smiles, turning to see Yuu in the kitchen. He heads to and leans against the doorway leading into the kitchen. "I'm back nīchan."

"Yes, I can see that Naruto. How was your training? I take it that you're prepared for the upcoming Chūnin exams in a few days?" Yuu asks.

Naruto nods. "Hai. The Kitsunes are real slave drivers. The drove me into the ground day in and day out. Their regiments only got harder as the time progressed."

Yuu finished preparing the food and places it on an unheated burner. "That's good, Naruto. He turns to get a good look at Naruto. He is wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt with the kanji 狐 (Kitsune) on it in crimson on the upper left of his chest. His back has a depiction of a sleeping fox. His baggy black pants have a bold crimson stipe running up the sides of each leg. Around his neck is a crimson fabric hitai-ate. His sandals are black with crimson swirls reminiscent of the Uzumaki crest where the Achilles tendon is located. Atop his head is a dark crimson beanie.

"You look good Naruto, but... what's with the beanie?"

Naruto smirks. "It's not really necessary, but it makes hiding things a bit easier. Not to mention, I kinda like it."

Yuu raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'hiding things'?"

Naruto reaches up and pulls off the beanie, revealing his silver hair. At first Yuu doesn't notice anything, but then sees Naruto's hair twitch and quiver lightly. Yuu moves to Naruto, and upon closer inspection, notices that it's not hair that moved, but small, silver furred ears. He reaches up and gently squeezes one, causing Naruto so shy away, knocking his arm away in the process.

"Don't mess with them, nīchan. They're really sensitive, and I'm still not fully accustomed to them yet. I was surprised when I found out that they were starting to form. The Kitsunes suspect that they're a side-effect due to living at Mt. Enryū, as well as consuming the food that grows there."

Naruto's ears twitch, and he turns to look at the bathroom. "Nīchan, is there someone else here? Is it Kakashi-san?" He then sniffs the air. "No... it's someone else, and from the strength of the scent, they've apparently been here for awhile." He sniffs again. "I'd say maybe a month or two at the most."

Yuu raises an eyebrow. "Impressive. Yes, there is another person here. He's been here for about two months recovering from a serious injury. Our doctor helped him immensely, but that was only after calling in a huge favor."

Naruto nods and sniffs the air once more. "Hai, I can still smell her scent, though it's nowhere near as potent, meaning she's probably been coming once a week or so."

The bathroom door opens and Obito steps out, fully dressed in Naruto's borrowed clothes. He spots movement from the corner of his eye, and sees Yuu standing in the kitchen with another person, talking quietly. He heads to the kitchen and stands behind the newcomer.

Naruto smells the scent of soap, and turns around, staring eye-to-eye with Obito. He steps back to inspect Obito, eyeing the visible scars.

"Naruto-kun, this is Obito. Obito, meet my adoptive son, Naruto." Yuu says.

Obito and Naruto stare at eachother. Obito, because he notices that Naruto resembles his ex-sensei Minato, albeit with silver hair; and Naruto, because of the fact that Obito's scars are pretty gruesome, as well as the fact that he's missing an eye. A few silent, awkward moments pass before Naruto extends his hand.

Obito looks to the offered hand, before reaching out and tentatively grasping it, easily feeling the strength behind Naruto's grip.

Naruto feels the feebleness behind Obito's grip, but understands that he's weakened due to his recovering from his injuries. He releases his grasp, and turns back to Yuu. "So nīchan, when can we eat? I'm starving." He says, his stomach rumbling in agreement.

Yuu rolls his eyes. "Of course you are, Naruto... You're a real piece of work sometimes, you know that?" He asks before turning to begin scooping food into bowls.

Naruto grins and chuckles. "I know, but you know that you love me, nīchan."

"Nīchan? But I thought that Yuu-sama was your adoptive father?" Obito asks.

"I am... but we consider eachother more as brothers, than as father and son. Naruto-kun has never once called me his father, even if I may, on very rare occasion, call his son." Yuu replies, handing Naruto and Obito a bowl. The two go and sit down, followed soon after by Yuu himself.

"Naruto-kun's parents died when he was born, so he grew up as an orphan. The civilian council wouldn't allow anyone to adopt him, so I had originally take him in as an apprentice of sorts. Eventually the Hokage allowed me to adopt him - after the council had finally relented. They didn't like the fact that he was being adopted, but given his position to me, they eventually ceased their relentfulness."

"Nīchan has always been there for me since we met. When he took me in as his apprentice, I was a scared and harassed child. I trusted very few adults when we first met. However, I gradually opened up to him, and that's when my training began. After he adopted me, I started making friends, I made Genin on the first try, I helped a Jōnin test his new Genin team, I've even gone on A-ranked missions, including one with the aforementioned team." Naruto says.

Obito listens as the two brothers talk, eating quietly, and overall being polite.

Naruto and Yuu purposely leave out the fact of both of them being ANBU. Yuu had actually moved both his and Naruto's armors out of the main room. They wouldn't tell Obito unless they were given permission by the Hokage that they were allowed to.

"Nīchan and I have gone on many missions together since he is also technically my team sensei. I know almost every trick that he knows. I also have a dōjutsu that is similar to both the Sharingan and the Byakugan, since it can actually utilize both dōjutsus." Naruto says.

Obito stares a Naruto when he hears that he can utilize the Sharingan, the kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan... _his_ clan. "Can I see it?" He asks.

Naruto nods and closed his eyes. When he reopens them, they are triple ringed - blue, sandwiched between two rings of crimson. A faint, thin blue ring can be seen around the pupil. "It's called the Akumagan. It's fairly chakra intensive, and it can sometimes burn; but to me, as long as it burns, I know that it is active, and that I still have chakra to use."

"You said that it's like the Sharingan _and_ the Byakugan. Does that mean that you can use genjutsu or copy techniques like the Uchiha, or see the chakra system or use Hyūga techniques like the Jyūken?"

"I can copy jutsu, but I cannot do genjutsu due to the amount of chakra that I have within myself, not to mention, I don't really have the patience or desire to learn them. And as for Hyūga techniques... I'm just going to say yes, and leave it at that."

Obito nods at that. He knows that the Hyūga clan is notorious - similar to the Uchiha - when it comes to keep their techniques a secret. Whoever taught Naruto those techniques, Naruto would be betraying by even discussing anything close to them. The Sharingan however, he has the right to know about. "How much about the Sharingan do you know?"

"Enough for it to be decently effective. Why do you ask?"

Obito focuses his chakra to his sole eye, causing it to change to a blood-red with a single tomoe. "Because I want you to teach me on how to properly utilize it more than I already know how to."

Naruto looks to Yuu - who shrugs - before turning back to Obito. "Now I know why your name sounds so familiar. You're Obito Uchiha, Kakashi-san's old childhood teammate. You were part of my father's team with Rin Nohara as the fourth member."

Obito stares at Naruto. "Your father is Minato-sensei? But... why do you have silver hair?"

Naruto smirks. "Because I changed it to disappear from the villagers' radar. **_Henge._** _"_ He says, a cloud of smoke appearing. As it fades, Naruto's hair has changed to blonde and his old whisker marks show on his cheeks. "This is probably what I would look like if I hadn't changed my appearance.

Obitos looks at Naruto's **_henge_** 'd appearance. "You look almost exactly like Minato-sensei, although much younger."

Naruto nods and drops the **_henge_**. "My parents died protecting the village on the day I was born. They protectted it from what they..." He hesitates, not sure if he wants to tell Obito of his burden. He sighs, then continues, "...what they sealed within me. Before I was born, my mother was the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yokō. On the day I was born, he was released, then put under a genjutsu by an Uchiha to attack the village. A Bijū cannot be killed by conventional means, it can only be sealed; so minutes after my birth, my father, the Yondaime Hokage, sealed the Kyūbi within me. The Kyūbi is the reason why the council wouldn't allow anyone to adopt me, and why the villagers always attacked and harassed me." He finishes, unconsciously placing a hand over his gut.

Obito lets this sink in. Naruto - his sensei's son - is the Kyūbi? No... he's just the vessel used to put a lock on it. He said that an Uchiha had placed the Kyūbi under a genjutsu so it would attack Konoha... but who? And why? "I know that you're not the Kyūbi, Naruto. Anyone foolish enough to confuse the scroll with the kunai within needs to have their head examined."

Naruto looks to Obito, his ears twitching lightly. "Even so, people still do it. It's why I adopted Naruto in the first place." Yuu says. "I wanted people to forget about Naruto _Uzumaki_ , and for a new person, Naruto _Tataki_ , to arise from the shadows. And that is exactly what happened. The villagers are clueless that the boy that they used to hunt and attack, is the same boy that now walks amongst them under a slightly different name and appearance."

"Uzumaki...?" Obito asks, thinking. His eyes then widen. "As in the clan of fūinjutsu masters?"

Naruto nods. "My mother was an Uzumaki. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She was also know as The Crimson Death, as well as The Red Hot Habanero."

"I also noticed that Yuu-sama called you Tataki, but you are by both Uzumaki and Namikaze by blood. So... what exactly do you go by?"

"I carry all three names. My birth name, followed by my father's name, then followed by nīchan's name out of respect. My full name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze Tataki, but while growing up, it was Naruto Uzumaki, so as to protect myself from any enemies my father had made. Now, most know me as Naruto Tataki; no affiliation at all with the _'Demon'_ of Konoha." Naruto replies, rubbing his arm unconsciously.

Yuu notices this, but keeps quiet. He remembers that Naruo's arm was deeply gouged by a villager during the last of their 'Demon Hunts.' If you look closely, you can still see a faint scar when the wound had been. Contrary to belief, a Bijū doesn't fully heal wounds. Naruto's body is actually covered in very faint scars all over due to the attacks from the villagers. The only scars - which weren't truly scars - that were completely gone, were his birthmark whiskers.

The trio sits in silence, finishing their meal. After eating, Naruto begins doing a series of calisthenics, which Obito watches as Yuu clears off the table. "So... is this the kind of stuff that you did while you were away?"

"Yea, the Kitsunes were tough, but they had good intentions." Naruto replies while doing crunches. He finishes and begins the next set of exercises.

"So what's it like housing the Kyūbi? Does it ever try to take you over?"

"Nah, he's actually a big softie. He may be rude at times, but he's not as bad as most make the Bijū out to be."

"Do you ever talk to it... erm, him, at all?"

"On occasion. There's not really much to talk about with an umpteen century old fox. I would actually allow him to do a partial possession, but he doesn't seem to like you very much for some reason."

 _'I don't trust this kid at all, kit. That one eye of his... it's bringing up some bad memories. It reminds me too much of the night that I was manipulated into attacking the village and killing your parents.'_ Kurama says.

Naruto looks to Obito and one of his eyes change to crimson, the pupil slitted like a cat's. The eye then stares deep into Obito's now Sharingan-less eye, and seems to delve deep into Obito's being, straight into his subconsciousness.

Obito can only stare back at the crimson eye gazing at him. _'It's like my body is chained in place. I can breathe fine, but can't seem to move a single muscle.'_ He thinks. He focuses on his breathing and keeping calm as the creepy crimson orb seems to look straight into his soul.

Kurama's eye continues prying into Obito's subconsciousness and mind for a full two minutes, before eventually receding and returning to their normal cerulean.

 _'Was that really necessary, Kurama?'_ Naruto asks. _'I think you freaked Obito out.'_

 _'That's not the point, kit. There's something about this kid that makes me uncomfortable. I wanted to view his mind and subconsciousness to see if he was hiding anything. He's clean... I just don't trust him. He makes my skin crawl for some reason.'_ Kurama replies.

* * *

Yuu watches as the two silently dispute. He knows when Kurama and Naruto are talking. His old habit of lip-speaking is long gone, but he can tell by the faint glazing and minute jerking of his eyes, the subtle jaw movements, and now, the slight twitching of his ears. He looks at Obito, who stares at Naruto, fidgeting uncomfortably.

* * *

Obito continues staring at Naruto, even though the crimson eye has faded. He notices that Naruto's gaze seems unfocused, as though his mind is somewhere else. Obito fidgets with his hands, not wanting the creepy eye to reappear

* * *

 _'I still don't understand why Obito unnerves you though. I'm your Jinchūriki, shouldn't I be able to pick up on stuff like this?'_ Naruto asks.

 _'Doubtful. The reason happened before I was sealed in you, kit. It's a feeling only I would know, since you and I weren't connected then. You may be able to pick up on feelings that I've had wile we've been connected, but not when we weren't._ ' Kurama replies.

 _'If you say so, Kurama.'_ Naruto says, leaving the mindscape. His ears twitch, and he feels two pairs of eyes on him. He looks to Obito, then to Yuu. "What?" Yuu returns to cleaning and Obito just looks away.

"I apologize if Kurama made you feel uncomfortable, Obito. Kurama likes to 'scan' those that I meet, to make sure that they aren't a threat to me… or him. He does it to everyone if I ever end up in a lengthy conversation or around them for an extended period of time, so don't be too offended. From what nīchan told me, it's an unpleasant feeling, like something sliding down your spine or making you cringe uncomfortably. I couldn't tell you for certain though, since I've never had it done, myself. Kurama has tried through a mirror, but it doesn't work on me. Maybe another Bijū could do it, just not Kurama." He then heads to the bathroom to shower.

He then strips and unseals a scroll from one of the may hidden – when clothed – seals on his body. He opens the scroll and unseals a set of clean clothes and places them on the sink with the scroll. He traces his fingers gently over the seals, wincing slightly. He turns on the water before stepping in and quickly washing then rinsing. He then sits and lets the water run over his body as he unseals two small bottles, one with a light-green liquid, and the other with a purplish liquid.

He pours some of the green liquid onto his hands, rubs them together and reaches up to gently massage the liquid onto his fox ears, before rinsing his head and hands. He then pours some of the purple liquid, and rubs it onto the seals, his nose wrinkling from the smell. Once coating the seals, he stands, rinses, seals the two bottles away, and exits the shower turning it off as he does before drying off.

He then unseals two more bottles, one with an opaque-white liquid and the other with a yellow liquid. He pours some of the white liquid onto his hands, rubbing them together, before gritting his teeth and rubbing the liquid vigorously onto the seals. He rinses his hands in the sink before applying the yellow liquid to his ears, making sure to get the completely, inside and out and from tip to base.

He hates doing this, but knows that it's necessary. The massage in the shower utilizes the steam and oil to open the pores of his ears. After drying, the uses the second oil to – more-or-less – stunt the growth of the ears. He likes the ears, but knows they could eventually cause problems if they continue growing. The process with the seals is to make sure that they set onto his skin properly, as hada-fūinjutsu (skin-sealing technique) is one of the more delicate and risky forms of fūinjutsu, and that if done incorrectly can cause issues in the long run.

He rinses his hands once more and dries them, before dressing, grimacing as the fabric of his shirt brushes against the now irritated and sensitive seals. Once dressed, he grabs his old clothes and scroll and exits. His outfits is a simple black t-shirt and shorts.

Obito looks at Naruto as he emerges from the bathroom. As the young silverette passes, he smells a strange scent emanating from him. "Hey Naruto… what's that scent that is coming from you. I smelt it as you passed and it smells oddly familiar."

Naruto places the dirty clothes in a hamper and turns to face Obito. "It's likely the firepine oil that I use on my ears. It's a stunting mineral that I use to prevent them from growing any larger than they already are."

Obito raises an eyebrow. "Prevent your ears from growing?" He asks slowly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh right, you haven't seen them yet." Naruto says, moving to kneel in front of Obito. He bends his head and parts his head around his left ear, then twitches it for emphasis. He releases his hair and it quickly settles back into place. "They're fox ears, though they're obviously not fully grown. The Kitsunes think that they're a mutation from being in their home zone and consuming their food. They said that if I stayed long enough, I would likely have started growing other foxlike appendages, until I turned into a full Kitsune. But they weren't fully certain, as I was the first human to ever have been to Mt. Enryū.

"I think that the ears match whatever color the hair is when they initially appear, which is why they're silver. I have much better hearing thanks to them as well." Naruto moves to sit on Yuu's bed. "My sense of smell is heightened, I can see better – both in the light and the dark – and my taste perception has dramatically changed. I can taste a wider variety of flavors and smell better than even the Inuzukas, and they're very advanced in those areas due to being as canine-like as they are.

"The foods when I first went to Mt. Enryū were completely devoid of any flavors. However, over time, the food started gaining taste, little by little. I can also taste toxins in food, and if they're potent enough, I can smell them as well. My body has built up an immunity to a wide variety of poisons with living at Mt. Enryū. I've even learned a little bit about **_naosu_** (cure), the Kitsune way of healing. If you want, I could help speed up your recovery a decent amount. I could – more-or-less – remove those ugly scars." Naruto continues.

"You've learned healing chakra, Naruto-kun?" Yuu asks, having overheard the conversation.

Naruto shrugs. "Kinda. It's not so much as healing, like with medical ninjutsu, as it is more akin to a Jinchūriki's natural regeneration. It's very similar to what Kurama does to me whenever I get injured. It _can_ heal, but it isn't _meant_ for healing."

Yuu nods. "Can you show me?"

Naruto stands and moves to Yuu. _'Kurama, can you not use the technique? I want to do it.'_

 _'Sure, kit. You could always use more practice. Especially if you're going to help that boy.'_ Kurama replies.

Yuu passes Naruto a kunai, and watches as he cuts a fairly deep cut along his palm before setting the kunai down. Instead of steaming like it normally does, it just continues to bleed.

Naruto then begins to gently knead his thumb around the cut, gently channeling his chakra around it, causing the wound to finally begin steaming. He continues sliding his thumb around the cut, smearing the blood as he does so. His thumb eventually glows crimson as he continues kneading and massaging the cut. He continues for about a minute before finally licking the blood off of his palm and wiping his hand on his shorts. He examines it before showing it to Yuu.

Yuu looks at the palm, a bit surprised. Amidst the natural creases, a very faint, barely discernable scar is visible. Even a cut normally healing leaves a visible scar, but you actually have to be looking for one to even really see it. "Impressive, but… could you do that on a much larger scale, say… half a body?" He asks, obviously asking about the fact that he's offering to help with Obito's scars.

"Theoretically, yes; although all in one sitting, not a chance. After the wound starts steaming, I start utilizing Kurama's chakra to speed the regeneration along. If the wound is large enough, it will eventually start taking both of us. I used to 'inject' a small amount of Kurama's chakra into an injury, but that is a lot more dangerous. Faster, yes; but also a lot more likely to be dangerous due to the toxicity of a Bijū's chakra. I've had Kurama's chakra in me my whole life, so I'm a lot more acclimated to it. Others aren't which I only used it on small wounds, and never in large amounts. Scars however, are actually pretty simple, they just take a while compared to actual cuts. Open cuts regenerate much faster, but are also much more chakra intensive."

Yuu nods. "That makes sense. I've had you heal a few of my wounds in the past, and Kurama's chakra is not the most pleasant feeling, but there is no denying that it gets the job done."

Naruto turns to face Obito. "If you want, we can do this, but I'll leave that up to you. If you heal normally, those ugly folds will likely remain. If we do it my way, they'll still be there, but much more diminished. Also know that if we do this, the healing may somewhat get close to a… uh… personal area. I can also not heal around there since it'll almost always be covered up, but it's entirely up to you."

Obito nods. "I think I'd rather look normal again, rather than chance having this massive blemish all over half of my body. If it means having you need to touch around there to remove these scars, then so be it. I just want to look normal once again."

"This won't be a fast process. It will take some time, even possibly a couple of days. When I'm not clearing your skin of the scars, you should work on reacquiring your physique – especially if you wish to return to being a ninja. I'm sure nīchan would be happy to help you with your exercises, until you're back up to par." Naruto says, earning a nod from Yuu.

He then motions for Obito to move to the bed and remove his shirt so he can at least get an idea of what he is going to be working with. When he sees the scarring, he sighs, knowing that he's going to be in for a lot of work. "We'll focus more on the areas that will be more visible on a daily basis, even with your clothes on, namely your face, neck, arm and leg."

Obito nods and lies down on the bed, and Naruto begins by reaching towards Obito's face and begins firmly, but gently kneading his thumbs around the rough, damaged skin. After about a minute, the skin begins to lightly steam, and he then begins to channel Kurama's chakra. He begins pressing on the scar folds, flattening and smoothing them out, then rinses and repeats for a period of time until the skin looks almost normal. If closely examined, the scar-creases are still there, but very faint.

Naruto then moves to the next bit of scarring, rinsing and repeating for the next couple hours or so, and when he's done, Obito's face looks more-or-less, normal. All the scarring on his face has been reduced to almost normal, healthy looking skin. Naruto looks at his hands, flexing them, minor chakra burns stinging, before he moves to Obito's hand.

He continues the process of regenerating Obito's skin cells properly, pausing periodically to examine his handiwork. The process of healing visible scars is a bit different than healing open wounds or sores. To properly heal scars, he utilizes his chakra to 'bake' the original cells, killing them off, which is why they steam. He then uses Kurama's chakra to eat at the remaining folds of dead skin and then seal it tightly together; followed by his own chakra to smooth out the skin, followed once more by Kurama's to rebuild the natural skin tone. ** _(A/N: I'm literally pulling this out of my ass, and I have no doubt that this is all a load of bs, but I wrote this a while back and was trying to make it fit... somewhat... meh...)_** All-in-all, it's a fairly chakra heavy process, as well as one that can't be rushed.

By the time Naruto reaches Obito's elbow, another hour and a half has passed. Naruto picks up Obito's arm ad inspects it, lightly twisting it in different directions. Satisfied, he drops the limb and steps back before examining his hands. They are a bright red from chakra burns, and due to using Kurama's potent chakra, they will take longer to heal than if they were just chakra burns from his own chakra.

He flexes his hands - wincing a bit - before heading to the bathroom to apply some burn relief salve. He then exits and looks around. Yuu and Obito fell asleep about forty minutes ago. Naruto goes and covers Obito, before turning away and spots the futon that Yuu had gotten for him and heads to it. He unrolls it, lays it out on the floor near the heating vent, then sits on it and closes his eyes, thinking for a minute.

He opens his eyes and grabs the nearby blanket, unfolds it and lies down, draping it over his body. He lies awake for about an hour, thinking about the Kitsunes and Mt. Enryū. Eventually, exhaustion washes over him, lulling him into a dreamless sleep.


	12. Obito's Recovery - Part 2

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter Seven – Part 2

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 ** _Disclaimer: _**_I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like._

* * *

Naruto awakens the next day, having gotten around six hours of rest. He slowly climbs to his feet and stretches, a multitude of light pops being heard. He look at the two nearby beds and see them still full. He reaches up under his shirt and unseals a small scroll, which he opens after pulling it out. He quickly changes into a pair of black sweatpants, sweatshirt and fingerless gloves. On the backs of each glove is the kanji for kitsune.

He folds his blanket, and quietly heads for the door, exits, and makes his way down the hall, before exiting through the hidden door. He deeply inhales once outside, before jumping down to the ground thirty feet below, lightly rolling and getting to his feet. He then begins jogging towards the Hokage monument. When he reaches the base of the mountain, he turns right, and follows the rock-face, keeping an eye peeled for the path that will lead to his private training grounds.

He found this place by accident a few years back. He'd been exploring the village, and wound up finding the path to a hidden training grounds. The grounds are hidden behind the monument, where very few normally tread. Not because of dangerous creatures, but because of how well hidden it is. He only found evidence of one other person having used the grounds... and old, rusted, three-pronged kunai. If it had a **_hiraishin_** formula at one point, it was long gone, worn away by time and the weather.

Naruto assumes that this training ground was where his parents used to train. It was fairly overgrown when he stumbled upon it, but nowhere near enough to hide what it truly was. After about ten minutes of jogging, he arrives in the clearing. He looks around and notices the weeds poking out of the ground here and there, but otherwise, the area remains untouched from when he was last there.

He strips his sweatshirt, the cool morning air lightly caressing his chest and back. He hangs the sweatshirt from a tree branch. He then begins to do his morning exercises. He does a variety of muscle workouts, waking his body up and getting his blood flowing.

He then touches a unique seal, placed on his right pectoral. It's a multi-layer gravitation seal, that when activated, increases the gravity around the seal bearer. It's a five layer seal that increases the gravity to an exponential of two for each level. At level one, that gravity is twice it's normal amount, and at level five it's equal to that of Mt. Enryū, or ten times that of normal gravity. While at the Kitsune homeland, Naruto had utilized the seal in addition to the increased gravity of Mt. Enryū, though, only the first level, since the gravity would become insane due to increasing for each level. **_(A/N: At Mt. Enryū, the gravity levels would be twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, and a hundred times of normal gravity since the gravity there is naturally ten times that of normal gravity.)_**

Naruto instantly activates the seal to level five, and immediately feels the familiar strain of gravity around him. He then begins his real workouts. Two hours later, he sits and closes his eyes, and then meditates. He remains like that for around four hours, immobile besides his slow and steady breathing. Birds come to rest on his head and shoulders, while small animals chitter and squeak, while running around him in the clearing.

His ears twitch periodically, enough to remain aware, but not enough to scare away the resting birds. When he finally opens his eyes, he looks down to the weight that he has been feeling in his lap. Two fox kits had climbed into his lap and had fallen asleep. One has a full coat of black fur, while the other is a steely grey. He lightly smiles and gently strokes the fur of the small canines, before reaching up and deactivating the gravity seal.

Ever since he went to Mt. Enryū, animals had come to enjoy his presence. When he meditates, animals of all kinds come around him, at ease and unafraid. He gets along well with all animals - especially with members of the canine family, namely foxes. Felines are a bit fickle around him and are usually wary of him at first. He even came to discover that felines are more comfortable around foxes than other members of the canine family.

He one awoke from mediating to find a jaguar cub curled up in his lap. But after that day, it never reappeared. He assumes it is somewhat similar to senjutsu, just without drawing upon nature chakra and pulling it within himself. The Kitsunes explained what senjutsu is, and said that they'll teach him when he's older. He didn't mind though. He didn't care if he ever learned it or not.

Naruto looks at the sleeping kits, then looks around the clearing, but doesn't see their mother. He ponders what to do when his ears pick up a faint rustling. He looks in the direction of the noise just as smooth, black-furred fox appears. It eyes him warily for a moment, then spots the kits in his lap. It cautiously approaches and sniffs at them. Naruto gently lifts the kits and places them on the ground.

The fox nuzzles one of the kits, stirring it from its slumber, before waking the other one. The kits yawn, before stretching and standing. The fox yips at the kits, before turning and heading back into the brush; the kits following after looking to Naruto.

Once the fox and kits disappear, Naruto climbs to his feet, his legs popping audibly. He stretches, then sighs, and looks up to the sky, guessing that it's around noon. He starts walking back to the village, grabbing his sweatshirt and slipping it on as he passes it. When he leaves the hidden path, he notices a familiar pale-skinned boy with a long, dragging blue scarf. He's talking lightly with two other kids; a boy who constantly sniffles and adjusts his glasses, and a girl who clasps her hands in front of her chest, swaying lightly from side to side.

He turns to try and get out of their line of sight, but unfortunately the sniffling boy spots him and points him out to the scarf wearing boy. Instantly all three are upon him.

"Hey Naruto-niichan, where've you been? We've been looking all over for you." The scarf wearing boy asks.

Naruto sighs. "Hey Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon. What are you three up to?"

Konohamaru smirks. "We're avoiding our teacher, Iruka-sensei. He's always rambling on and one in class, so we snuck away during recess."

"Why are you three always so hard on Iruka-san? Yes, his classes may be boring, but they're important. Who do you think helped teach me?" Naruto asks.

"I know... but they're just so boring. He goes on and on about history and math and stuff. We don't want to learn that though, we want to learn the good stuff. Like how to channel chakra, throw kunai, and use jutsu." Konohamaru whines.

Naruto sighs. "Look, if you really want to learn the fundamentals of being a ninja, try talking to Iruka. He usually listens to concerns unless he's in a bad mood. Just know that if you want him to actually help you, you will need to help him in return. Pay attention in class, do your work, _don't ditch_. Things like that will help you, not goofing off.

"When I was your age, I couldn't go to the Academy. So Iruka-san took his own time to bring the Academy to me. I was stubborn; I thought the stuff was boring and I caused him problems, but I did what I was asked to, especially when he found out a better way to teach me. But he couldn't always teach me since he had his own life to deal with, but when he did, I was grateful. Not scat, I won't rat you out or drag you three back to class this time, but next time I will." Naruto continues.

Konohamaru nods, but holds his ground. "You didn't answer my question..."

Naruto stares at Konohamaru. "Question? What question...? Oh, where I've been. I've uh, been out of the village training for the upcoming Chūnin Exams, with the Kitsunes."

Konohamaru cocks his head. "Chūnin Exams? Kitsunes? What are those?"

"Exactly my point. You would likely know what the exams are if you paid attention in class. They're the exams that all Genin eventually take in order to be promoted to Chūnin. As for the Kitsunes, it might be easier if I just show you." Naruto says as he bites his thumb. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_**

Naruto plants his hand to the ground and a poof of smoke appears. When it clears, a crimson colored fox the size of a mailbox appears. "Ohayō, Naruto-san, what's up?" The fox asks.

Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon stare at the fox that just appeared out of thin air. "Whoa! How'd you do that?" Konohamaru asks.

"It's called the summoning technique. Don't ever do the seals unless you've signed a contract; you never know where you'll end up or what you may summon if you do. This..." Naruto says, gesturing to the fox, "is Kujo. He's a Kitsune, and he lives where I've been training for the past year."

Kin look to and examines the three kids, before lowering his head and bowing it lightly. "It's a pleasure."

"You don't have to be so courteous Kujo. To be honest, they're a trio of troublemakers for Iruka-san. Right now, they're actually ditching school." Naruto says.

Kujo looks at the three again. "You want me to go get Iruka-sama then?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No need, I already spoke to them. I'm going to let them off today, but the next time, I'll tell him. Why don't you go and entertain them Kujo, keep them out of trouble?"

Kujo nods, and runs off. Naruto gestures with his head and the trio then run off after the fox.

Naruto turns and continues walking, making his way back to the ANBU HQ when he hears a sharp "owww!" He jumps up onto a nearby roof and follows the general direction of the where the sound came from.

* * *

Konohamaru is on the ground, rubbing his nose, when he is picked up by an older boy in a black, cat-like outfit. "You little runt, that hurt." The boy growls out.

"Put him down Kankurō, we don't want to cause any problems here in another village." A blonde female with her hair in four ponytails says. She has a large battle-fan strapped to her back, folded up for convenience.

"This little squirt ran into me, I should teach him to respect his elders." Kankurō says.

"Put me down. You're hurting me." Konohamaru complains, struggling to break out of Kankurō's grasp.

"Come on Temari, let's mess with these brats a little bit." Kankurō says.

"Fine, do what you want. But don't drag me into it, or complain when _he_ arrives." Temari says.

"I recommend letting the boy go, sand ninja." Kujo says.

Kankurō looks down at the fox. "Oh yea? And why should I?"

* * *

Naruto jumps down after watching the conflict for a few minutes. "Because I'm telling you to, that's why."

"And who the hell do you think you are, butting into another person's conversation?" Kankurō sneers.

"I have every right to, because this _is_ my conversation. The fox is mine, Kankurō no Subaku. I recommend putting Konohamaru down now." Naruto says, his eyes flashing crimson for a moment.

Kankurō hesitates. "How do you know who I am?" He asks.

"Everyone has their secrets. I'm not just some average, know nothing Genin. I make sure that I know certain things if it may end up affecting me. Kankurō no Subaku, Temari no Subaku, and Gaara no Subaku; children of the Yondaime Kazekage, here for the Chūnin Exams… not to be picking a fight with the Hokage's grandson." Naruto says. "Now let him go."

"Put him down Kankurō." A low, raspy voice says from above and behind the two Suna-nin. Hanging upside-down from a tree branch is a boy with blood-red hair, and gourd on his back, and the kanji for love in red on the left side of his forehead. A swirl of sand cloaks him, before he appears behind Kankurō.

Kankurō releases Konohamaru who collapses onto the ground and whirls around to face the newcomer. "G-Gaara, I didn't s-see you there. I-I apologize Gaara, I was t-totally out of line." He stutters, backing up a few steps.

Gaara glances at Kankurō. "Shut up, before I kill you." He then looks to Naruto, and they stare eachother down. "Who are you?" Gaara finally asks.

"It's normally common courtesy to introduce yourself first, but seeing as I already know who you are, I guess I should introduce myself. I am Naruto Tataki." Naruto says, before his eyes turn crimson and he stares into Gaara's eyes. After a moment they change back to their normal cerulean. "By the way, Nine says hi… Shukaku." He says, grinning foxily.

The three Subaku siblings all do double-takes. "How do you know that?" Gaara asks, eyes narrowed, a little curious.

Naruto smirks and points to Kujo. "As I said, I know things. Ask Shukaku if he recognizes my particular summon species. Try actually communication with the big raccoon, don't just let him whisper dark tragedies into your ears. If you can't do that, then come find me, and Kurama and I will set him straight."

Gaara stares at Naruto before eventually turning away. _'What did he mean by that? Communicate with it? How?'_ He thinks. Kankurō and Temari stare for a moment longer, before following Gaara, with same question on both their minds; _'What just happened?'_

Naruto turns and offers his had to Konohamaru and pulls him to his feet. "Make sure to watch where you're going Konohamaru. Especially now. These exams tend to put everyone on edge. Tread lightly, keep out of people's ways. Don't speak to them unless they speak to you first. Got it? Moegi, Udon, you understand? This is more for your safety, than an order." He says and begins walking to the ANBU HQ, raising his had in a backwards wave as he passes. "Later."

He looks jumps up to the main walkway circling the building, before looking around and once sure that it's clear, quickly enters through the hidden door into the hallway. He returns to an empty room. He heads to the shower, and takes care of his hygiene and daily oiling of his ears and seals. When he exits the bathroom, he is wearing a simple black t-shirt, a dark grey unzipped vest with the Kitsune kanji on the left chest, black and crimson-striped pants, and his crimson hitai-ate around his neck.

He heads to the underground training room and finds Obito and Yuu doing exercises. Obito is doing simple, muscle-based stretches, while Yuu endures a more vigorous regiment. Naruto stands behind Obito and waits, wondering how long it will take him to notice. He glances at Yuu, and sees a faint smirk painted on his face, and knows Yuu has long since noticed him.

Obito continues his stretches, totally oblivious to the fact that Naruto is right behind him. Eventually Obito finishes and stands, then turns… and comes face-to-face with a grinning Naruto. He immediately backpedals, eyes wide.

Naruto and Yuu begin cracking up at seeing Obito's reaction. "H-how long have you been standing there?" Obito asks.

"To be honest, quite a few minutes. I used to do it to nīchan all the time, but now he pretty much knows the second I enter this room. Also, you should learn to be more observant of your surroundings. If I was an enemy and Yuu wasn't here, I could've ended up killing you many times over."

Obito blinks before looking at his arm. "I'm surprised at how normal this looks. You did a really good job on healing the scars. Much better than I thought."

"I was tired when I finally stopped. I had some pretty good chakra burns as well." Naruto says, looking at his hands. They're still a bit burnt, but not like they were when he stopped working on Obito's scars. "If you want, we can do another session. Finish healing your arm, then do your neck and leg. Make it so you can wear shorts and t-shirts again."

Obito nods. "Yeah, that sounds good." He says, then follows Naruto upstairs, back to the room. Obito strips his shirt and sits on the bed. Naruto takes his arm and examines it, before beginning the process of removing the scars once again. It takes about another seventy minutes to finish the arm up to the collarbone. Naruto than works on healing the lower neck and some of the upper chest.

By the time Naruto finishes the collarbone and upper chest, Yuu has returned and is starting to prep for making dinner. Naruto has Obito remove his sandal, while Obito shuffles over to allow Naruto to lift his foot to start healing it. Naruto finishes Obito's foot and some of his ankle, before standing up, and heading to the bathroom to clean up for dinner.

Obito runs his hands over his smoother, non-scarred skin. He appreciates how much Naruto is doing for him even they've only known eachother for less than a full day. He tries to think of some way to repay him, but comes up blank. He gets up and heads for the bathroom just as Naruto comes out, so that he can clean up as well.

He then exits and goes to sit at the table to wait for Yuu to finish preparing dinner with Naruto already at the table. "Why are you doing so much to help me? You barely even know me?"

Naruto looks to Obito. "I'm helping you because I want to. I'm not exactly someone who will just sit back and do nothing, if there's something that I _can_ do about it. Ask nīchan, even though the villagers caused me so many problems as a kid, I've never actually turned my back on them. I'm willing to help others, even if they aren't willing to help me in return."

"To be honest, with how much Naruto is willing to help others in the village, you would think he _is_ the heart of the village in a way. He doesn't care that people are hurtful, he just continues to strive to help others." Yuu says.

"I'd be willing to sacrifice myself for my friends and family in a heartbeat. And I'm pretty sure they'd do the same for me… at least, those who are my _real_ friends." Naruto says.

Yuu comes from the kitchen carrying two plates, which he places in front of Obito and Naruto. He returns to the kitchen to grab his own plate, before returning to sit at the table himself.

Naruto look at the food and smiles. "Well, here's a dish I haven't had in a while. What's the special occasion nīchan?"

"Not much, really. Just the upcoming Chūnin Exams. For the second test you'll be in the field for at least five days, at least from what I've heard." Yuu says, then looks around guiltily before smiling cheekily. "Oops. Did I say that? I'm not supposed to be discussing the exams." He says, before chuckling.

Obito looks at Yuu, then to Naruto just as he rolls his eyes. "You don't know much about Yuu do you, Obito?" He asks, changing the subject.

Obito looks at Naruto, then Yuu, then back to Naruto, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know Maito Gai?" Naruto asks.

Obito nods, eye twitching, causing the two brothers to chuckle. "Well, nīchan can easily match and beat Gai in a taijutsu match. Gai claims he's the Taijutsu master of Konoha, but nīchan would easily walk all over him. To tell the truth, there's only one person that I know of that I know of – besides Gai – that give nīchan – without his secret techniques – a real run for his money time and time again. Can you guess who I'm talking about?" Naruto asks.

Obito ponders for a moment. "I would've said Gai, but you crossed that off in your question… Kakashi maybe?"

"Not a chance. I'd rank Kakashi possibly along the lines of Gai. You wanna try again?"

Obito thinks, but comes up blank. "I got nothing."

Naruto smirks. "You're looking at him. I've given nīchan a real challenge in pure taijutsu combat more times than I can remember. I've said before that I know most of nīchan's tricks. Most of the time, though, my own abilities cause me to lose control… to rampage. I don't use them for that reason. I tend to stick to taijutsu and my limited knowledge of ninjutsu and kenjutsu. Although, one of my abilities can become deadly when combined with my taijutsu."

Obito stares at Naruto, eye half-narrowed in disbelief and suspicion. "You don't believe me?" Naruto asks, and Obito shakes his head. "Not really."

Naruto smirks before looking at Yuu. "Well, we can't really go all out here, but we can give you a little tease." He stands up and moves near Yuu. "Nīchan, punch me." Yuu stands, rolls his shoulders, and then strikes out at Naruto. Naruto catches the punch in his hand, and Obito can feel the air move from the force of the punch. "Harder." Naruto says, and Yuu replies with a harder and faster punch. "Again." And  
Yuu punches once more with even more power behind the strike.

Obito watches as Yuu strikes with more force with each punch thrown, and Naruto shrugs them off like they're nothing. "C'mon nīchan, gimme a good one." Yuu readies, before lashing out, his fist rocketing into Naruto's palm. The plates on the table rattle, causing Obito to stare at them, then back to Naruto and Yuu.

"Nice one. Care to do a stronger one?" Naruto asks, slightly bracing himself. Yuu lashes out once more, his fist colliding with Naruto's palm. You can see the muscles in Naruto's arm ripple from the force of the impact. The plates on the table jump about an inch, and a gust of wind blows across Obito's face.

"I think that's good enough Nīchan, we don't want to end up destroying the room." Naruto says, sitting down again. "That was maybe a third of our normal strength, and that was without our enhancing abilities. We've left the training room downstairs in shambles before."

Obito looks at the two Tatakis like they're insane. "You guys are nuts. Why do you need so much power behind your strikes? Why not focus more on jutsu?"

"Because we can't really use jutsu. Nīchan is a Dōton user, but doesn't know many techniques, not to mention they are fairly chakra heavy to use, and he doesn't have the reserves to do very many of them. I myself am a Fūton user. I may have a handful of techniques, but they are mostly augmenting techniques, and my main one is a speed augmenting technique.

"While there are a multitude of powerful Fūton techniques, I just don't have the knowledge or training to use them. I have plenty of chakra to throw behind them if I need to, but I don't bother learning them because there aren't very many people that have a Fūton affinity. So I stick to what I'm more comfortable with, and that's taijutsu.

"My forms however rely solely on my chakra reserves, and the more I push them to their limits, the stronger and faster I can become, at the expense of the eventual, inevitable rampage. At least until I have more training with them in order to be able to counteract that major flaw. The rampage is the main reason I don't rely on my forms unless I need to, since nīchan is really the only person who can currently stop me in _both_ of my forms, and he was injured in the process of doing so last time. The last time was the worst so far…" Naruto says.

"Yes, it was. I still ache from being pushed so far. Speaking of that, remind me to give you some suppressant seals later, Obito. Naruto makes them as a precaution for when his Yōkai form takes over. They're the only way to stop that particular form. However, be warned, do not trifle with Naruto if he has more than three tails, for any reason. I fought and subdued Naruto when he had eight tails, and let me tell you, it wasn't fun, and if it never happens again, it'll be too soon." Yuu explains then sighs.

"I did the only thing I could do. I opened the final gate in order to just _subdue_ Naruto so that I could seal back his rampant power. The thing is… if Naruto ever hits a full takeover – with all nine tails – that's it. He won't be able to be brought back. That's why it's so crucial to prevent him from ever reaching that point. The sooner the Yōkai for can be resealed, the better."

"You said 'gate'. What gate do you mean?" Obito asks.

"The **_Hachimon_** , or Eight Inner Gates. There is one at every major chakra junction in the human body." Naruto says. He then points to the left side of his forehead then the right, the mouth, the collarbone, sternum, upper gut, pelvis, and finally the heart. "Each gate is a limitation valve, that when opened, grants a huge boost in chakra, power and speed. However, the gates are a double-edged sword. By using this technique, you break your body's natural limits via chakra, destroying it in the process. The eighth gate though, is a one-way route. Once opened, your body will utilize every drop of chakra, literally burning itself to cinders in the process. The final gate, the gate of death – both figuratively and literally speaking."

"If the final gate leads to death, then how are you still alive?" Obito asks, turning to face Yuu.

"My family, the Tatakis specialize in the **_Goken_** , or Hard Fist, form of Taijutsu utilizing the Inner Gates. There's a family technique, passed down from generation to generation, that can allow you to survive the opening of the Eighth Gate, albeit, just barely. I've learned it from my father, and he from his. Because I've adopted Naruto, when he comes of age, I will teach him the secrets as well. The females don't learn the technique if there is a sired son." Yuu responds

The trio then proceeds to finish eating in silence after that. Afterwards, Naruto asks if Obito would like to continue his treatment. Obito nods, and he head to the bed and strips his pants, leaving him in only boxers, and lies down. Naruto then gets to work on healing the scars on Obito's leg. He slowly works his way up the leg, and by the time he reaches the hem of the boxer's legging, two hours have passed.

He then moves to the torso and begins his work there. Yuu places a steaming cup of caffeinated tea on the nearby table. Naruto thanks him appreciatively, stopping briefly to drink some of the lemongrass beverage. He continues working, no longer feeling the least bit tired due to the tea. Caffeine heavily affects Naruto since he doesn't consume it very often.

He finishes up the front upper-body and has Obito roll over onto his stomach so he can heal the small scars here and there. Obito fully falls asleep just as Naruto is finished healing what he can currently reach. All that's left to be done is the area covered up by Obito's boxers but that can wait. He examines his work, gently rolling Obito onto his back, and after checking his work, covers him up with the nearby blanket. He then moves to his futon and proceeds to meditate and talk with Kurama.

A number of hours pass as Naruto remains meditating, eventually just remaining meditating even after he had finished talking with Kurama. He pushes his hearing as hard as he can and listens to muted conversations nowhere nearby, more feeling the vibrations off of objects and through the air than anything. He eventually opens his eyes and stands, looking at Obito just in time to see him beginning to stir, before heading into the kitchen.

He prepares two cups of caffeine tea, one for him and one for Obito. Once finished, he carries the cups to the table next to Obito's bed and sets them down just as Obito's eye cracks open. He looks to Naruto. "You're still awake?" He manages to groggily ask.

"Sorta, I never actually slept last night, I mediated all night." Naruto says, then looks at his hands, still slightly red even after not having channeled chakra for a number of hours. "Your healing is almost completely finished. All that's left is what's under your boxers…" Naruto says looking away and grabbing one of the two cups of tea.

Obito takes the second one after sitting up and sniffs it. "What is it?"

"It's lemongrass tea. Drink it, it'll help you wake up." Naruto replies, drinking his own.

Obito examines himself and is surprised to see that he looks, well, normal. He no longer has all the hideous scars from the boulder trying to crush his body into dust. He then realizes why Naruto turned away like he did at the end of his last sentence, and feels a bit awkward about the final part of the healing.

"I can tell you're a bit hesitant about the last part of the healing. We could go to the hot springs if that may help you feel a little less hesitant, or we could even leave the scars be since they're unlikely to really be seen by anyone. It's a private hot spring that _very_ few go to or know about. At worst, we'll probably run into Kakashi-san there." Naruto says.

Obito nods. "That'll probably be better. It's just going to be strange having another person down there. Especially since it's another guy."

"If you want, and it would make it easier, I could **_henge_** into a female."

Obito shakes his head as he stands and stretches. "That won't be necessary. The quicker we get it done and over with, the better. He downs the rest of the tea, before heading to the bathroom, stripping the boxers, and wrapping a towel around his waist. As he exits, Naruto passes him into the bathroom where he strips as well and wraps his own towel around his waist. He then exits and places a hand on Obito's shoulder and the two **_shunshin_** to the hot springs. Naruto steps to the doorway and looks in – it's empty. "Just us Obito, us and the spring's warm embrace." He says, heading to the spring. He sheds his towel, folds it, and places it on a nearby dry rock, before sinking into the water.

Obito follows, removing the towel and slipping into the water as well, placing his folded towel on a different rock. He moves near to where Naruto is, and notices a shallow alcrop of sorts, with about an inch of water on it. He moves to and hoists himself onto it. He lies on his stomach, resting his head on his arms.

Naruto hoists himself up as well so he can easily get to the scars that were covered earlier. Naruto pays no heed and begins working on healing the scars. About fifteen minutes later and checking of his already healed scars in the better lighting of the springs, he nudges Obito. "Last area." He says.

Obito rolls onto his back, albeit a bit reluctantly, exposing himself to Naruto. Again, Naruto pays no heed and proceeds to heal the minor scars that were around Obito's groin area. Surprisingly, there was little to no scarring at all around Obito's groin, waist, and rear. Naruto pulls away and checks his already finished areas and touches up a few small areas here and there. He eventually backs away and moves back into the secondary pool of the springs.

"You're more-or-less good as new. The scars are pretty much gone. I did my part, and now you must do yours, by strengthening your own self."

Obito moves into the secondary pool as well and sits across from Naruto. "Thanks Naruto. You and Yuu-sama have done so much for me, and all I've really done be a burden." He says.

Naruto looks at Obito. "You're not a burden… to me at least. And I know nīchan doesn't mind you."

"Even so, I still feel that I should repay you two somehow for everything that you've done. I just don't know how." Obito says, looking into the steaming water.

"Obito. Stop thinking down about yourself. You're only in your current predicament because _you_ saved a friend at the expense of _your_ own safety. If anything, you've already paid your dues. Just focus on strengthening your body and don't worry about trying to find a way to repay us."

Obito says nothing, and it's quiet except for the light trickling of gently moving water. "You're right. I have already paid, more that anyone should ever have to, but I'm glad I did. I may have hated Kakashi at times, but he was still a teammate, I even daresay a friend. And you know what? I would gladly do it again if it meant saving those that I care about.

Naruto smiles lightly. "That's the spirit…" He says, trailing off, just now remembering something. "I just realized something… I don't have a team for the Chūnin Exams. Maybe I should go and see Jijī."

Obito looks at Naruto. "You don't have a team? Then how have you been doing missions?"

"With nīchan. Nīchan and I usually go on missions together as a two-man cell, but… the exams are for a full team; three Genin who have a Jōnin sensei – a normal four-man unit." Naruto replies.

Obito nods. "Well, if you need teammates, then I guess I could help. I'm still technically a Genin myself."

"I was thinking about that, but in your current condition, that could be a problem. If only you were more up to par…" Naruto says, trailing off. He thinks, trying to remember and possible remedies or stimulants that the Kitsunes had taught him that can boos muscle growth and body recovery. Then his eyes widen as he remembers something that he had been give before he left Mt. Enryū. He touches one of the **_henge'd_** seal and a small bottle appears, which he opens and sniffs, before closing it back up.

"How'd you do that?" Obito asks, at seeing the bottle appear from thin air.

Naruto looks at Obito, not fully having heard his question, having been lost in his thoughts. "What did you say?"

"You pulled that bottle out of thin air. I asked how you did that."

Naruto blinks, then looks to the bottle in his hand, before looking back to Obito. "Oh… um, right. I'll tell you since I did it unconsciously with you around, just don't tell nīchan… at least, not yet." He replies, releasing the **_henge_** that he had placed on the seals, causing them to appear. "They're storage seal. I have a number of various items and scrolls sealed within them, including a number of herbs from Mt. Enryū, as well as the oils that I use for setting the seals and stunting my ear growth."

He then shows the bottle to Obito, and shakes it lightly. "This is winterroot. I forgot that I had it. It's also really hard to acquire. It's a natural muscle stimulant that will help boost muscle growth up to a safe point, and then it no longer does anything. I've used it a few times myself while training at Mt. Enryū. Depending on how much is used can alter its efficiency. It can either be ingested or used as an oil.

"Ingesting it pure is a bad idea though, so it needs to be diluted. It actually makes a great tea. If you would like, I could prepare you some when we return to the room. But for now, I just want to soak and let the heat of the springs loosen my muscles. It's been too long since I've been to a hot spring." He says, closing his eyes. He seals the winterroot away and the seals slowly fade from sight.

The two then soak for about an hour before they reluctantly stand and exit the warm waters before toweling themselves off. Naruto then **_shunshins_** them back to the room before heading to the bathroom to do his oilings. Obito heads to Naruto's dresser and borrows some clothes to get dressed.

* * *

Yuu is in the kitchen when the two return. He watches Naruto head into the bathroom and Obito remove his towel to quickly dree. He noticed that the scars are unnoticeable – at least from this distance. He knows that they're still there, just very faint. "So I take it that your healings are done, Obito?"

Obito stops pulling on a shirt mid-way when Yuu speaks. He didn't see Yuu at first due to him being in the kitchen. He finishes pulling on the shirt, and looks around again, this time spotting Yuu in the kitchen. "Yeah, Naruto finished about an hour ago." He then remembers something Naruto said. "He also remembered that he doesn't have a team for the exams in a few days."

Yuu sighs. "About that. Do you want to know the main reason that I had rescued you?"

"You said it was because of what I had told Kakashi; that you don't abandon your friends."

Yuu nods. Yes, but that is only half of it. The other reason is _because_ of the fact that he doesn't have a team. I rescued you – albeit a bit out of selfish need – so that you could become his teammate. I can likely negotiate with the Hokage about a two-man cell for the exams, but a one-man cell is unheard of. But for this to work, then that means you only have a few days to recover as much as possible."

Naruto then emerges from the bathroom, bottle of winterroot in hand. He heads to the kitchen and prepares three cups of tea, two juneleaf and one winterroot. He hands a juneleaf to Yuu, and picks up the other two cups. He moves to Obito and passes him the winterroot one, before taking a sip of his own.

Obito sniffs at his tea, inhaling a strong, minty scent. He takes a sip, and finds that it has a rich, deep flavor. He listens as Yuu and Naruto talk, remaining silent, enjoying the warmth and flavor of the beverage.

He then begins to feel his body ache lightly, which becomes a dull throb throughout his entire body. He feels prickles of numbness all over, and begins to feel drowsy. Yuu notices this, and seeing the light flush on his face, looks to Naruto. "What's up with Obito? What did you give him?"

Naruto looks to Obito and studies his features, before placing his cup down and moving to Obito, prodding him at different area, primarily around major muscle groups. He grabs an arm and squeezes it, checking the bicep, tricep, deltoid, and other muscles, feeling them contract lightly in his grasp. He nods to himself, before dropping the limb and turning to face Yuu. "It's called winterroot. Obito will be fine, but he'll be a bit out of it for a little while. Winterroot is more-or-less a natural drug that will help boost his muscle growth and his body recovery. There is a limit to how effective it is, and once that limit is reached it'll no longer affect that person until they fall back again." He says, helping Obito to his feet, and guiding him to the bed.

* * *

Obito feels woozy, and can't form and solid, coherent thoughts. He simply lifts the now empty cup to drink, frowning as nothing flows from the cup. He notices Yuu and Naruto talking but can make anything out. He barely even feels Naruto grasp his arm to examine it, before he is being pulled by the silverette to his feet, and guided to a bed, where he lies down.

He opens his mouth to speak, but due to his incoherent thoughts, nothing comes out. His eyes feel heavy and he can barely move his body. So he does the only thing that he currently _can_ do… he closes his eye, and quickly passes out

* * *

Naruto watches as Obito succumbs to slumber, before turning to Yuu. "Yeah… he'll definitely be out for a while. Winterroot affects each person differently. When I first had it, I had a ridiculous amount of energy, before I became exhausted. Not sleep tired, but fatigued. It's also a light hallucinogen, as it messes with your senses – blurring them – as well as a numbing agent of sorts. Winterroot is pretty much in some ways, a miracle drug, but it is very hard to acquire. I have maybe a gram's worth of the stuff – a gift from the Kitsunes."

"It will simulate a strenuous workout on Obito's muscles, mimicking what a hard workout would do; tearing the muscles but it will rapidly heal them, making them stronger. The way I had Obito use it was by ingesting it. It can be made into a rubbing oil, but with so little at my disposal, there wouldn't be enough and it would be a waste. Just a small pinch of it in hot water, however, makes a rich, bold tea, that works much more effectively. I'd say by the time he wakes up, he will be at least three or four times stronger than he was minutes ago; so he'll still be a tad under par, but he will be able to return to active duty."

Yuu nods. "So what will you do about a team for the exams?" He asks, finishing his tea.

"It got brought up while at the springs, and Obito said he'd be willing to help if he was up to par, and that's what reminded me of the winterroot." Naruto says, before grabbing his hitai-ate off of his futon and tying it around his neck. I'll be back later nīchan, I'm going out for a bit." He says, before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

He appears in another poof of smoke outside of his favorite little shop in Konoha; Ichiraku Ramen. He smiles and pushes through the hanging cloth at the entrance, moving to sit at one of the counter stools. "One extra-large bowl of the works, Teuchi-san." He calls out.

"One extra-large bowl, coming up." Teuchi calls back. A few minutes later, Ayame comes out with the bowl, which she sets in front of Naruto. "Here you are sir." She says, smiling.

Naruto looks at Ayame, a slight frown appearing. "What? No normal greeting? Have I really been gone that long and changed so much that you really don't recognize me, Ayame-chan?"

Ayame looks at Naruto, examining it, before it finally clicks. "Naruto?" She asks, earning a grin. "Hey dad, Naruto-kun's back."

Teuchi appears from behind the separation wall. "Well I'll be. Good to see you, Naruto."

Naruto grins. "Good to see you guys as well. How've you been?"

"Things could be better. The upcoming exams are somewhat slowing down business, so don't expect too much of a discount."

"Wouldn't having an influx of visitors in the village mean more business?"

"Normally, yes, but another ramen shop recently opened nearby, and they're offering all kinds of crazy deals because of the exams as a grand opening scheme."

"Oh." Naruto says, taking a mouthful of noodles. "So you've got competition. Well, don't expect to run out of business anytime soon. You do remember that I'm probably your biggest customer, right?"

"We know Naruto, but that rival shop is going to be hard on us. They're going to be pulling most of our customers away because of their lower prices."

Naruto nods, and finishes his noodles, before drinking the broth, sighing appreciatively. The then takes out his moneypurse and pays twice the order's normal amount. "Keep the change, Teuchi-san."

Teuchi scoops up the money as Naruto pushes the curtain to the side to exit. "Make sure you do your best in the exams, you hear?" He call as the curtain falls back into place.

NAruto then begins making his way towards the Hokage Tower. As he walks, he passes a sign with the words: 'Grand Opening – Rāmen no Ōya'. (Great House of Ramen). He freezes mid-step and looks into the shop, noticing it's easily four times the size of Ichiraku's little stall. He counts about twenty people within. He smells the air and almost gags at the influx of spice and herb scents.

He hesitantly enters and is led to an open seat, before he is quickly waited upon. He orders a medium bowl of miso-pork ramen. _I doubt this will be anything like Ichiraku's miso-pork bowl.'_ He thinks, just as his order arrives. He shakes his head in shock at the speed of the preparation. He sniffs it and wrinkles his nose. _'Too many spices have definitely been added, that much is certain.'_

He then proceeds to taste it, frowning at how mild the broth actually is with the strong scent emanating from it. He finds that the noodles are overcooked and the bowl itself is just a disaster of preparation. He tastes a slab of the pork, and almost recoils at the taste of it. _'Well… there's where all the spice are. They probably cooked a majority of the spices into the meat, which explains why the broth is as mild as it is. Not to mention that it's a little undercooked.'_

He doesn't even bother finishing the bowl. He counts out the required money and pays. As he's leaving, he's asked how his experience was, and he answers honestly; "While the accommodations were pleasant, the food itself was disappointing. The service was fast, but much too fast, meaning that a bulk of the product was prepared in advance, but that isn't always a bad thing, but it can be when it affects the overall quality of the food.

"The noodles was far too soft, meaning they had been let in water for far too long, again a sign of bulk preparations. The broth was much too mild compared to the scent that was emitting from it when it arrived. The miso-pork was also a disappointment as it was a bit undercooked as well as _riddled_ with spices, making it almost inedible due to the conflicting tastes. The garnish was possibly the best part of the bowl, but would've complimented much better if the rest of the bowl had been properly prepared. To rate my experience, I would possibly have to give it a five out of ten. You seem to cater more to quick and cheap service, than to the overall experience of the customer." He explains bluntly, before turning on his heel and continuing on his way.

He continues his earlier path to the Hokage Tower, eventually arriving. He enters, walks past the empty receptionist's desk and heads up the stairs. He arrives at and knocks on the old oak wood door, then waits until he is given permission to enter.

As he enters, Hiruzen looks up from his paperwork as he moves to stand in the middle of the office. "Ah, Naruto-kun, welcome back. How was your training with the Kitsunes?"

"It was fine, but it definitely wasn't easy. The Kitsunes know how to make one hell of a training regimen." Naruto replies.

"So I take it that you are ready for the upcoming exams in a few days then?"

"Hai." Naruto states, then remembers something. "I've also met nīchan's guest, and he's stated that he's willing to be on my team for the exams."

"You mean Obito?" Hiruzen asks, earning a nod. "How's his recovery coming along? He was in pretty bad shape the last time I saw him, but I assume it's coming along nicely if he's offered to be on your team for the exams."

Naruto nods. "Yeah, he's pretty much completely healed. I gave him a natural muscle stimulant mainly found around Mt. Enryū earlier to help boost his recovery even more, and he's currently out like a light. I gave him some winterroot because of how bad of shape his body seemed to be in. His muscles were fairly atrophied and he was fairly underweight. I seem to wear about the same size of clothes as him, yet even my clothes from before my training seem to hang a bit loosely on him, and I wasn't even that big then."

"Yes, I got a decent look at him when I had visited Yuuzuki a couple weeks ago. He looked pretty bad from what I was able to actually see. I have to agree that he did look underweight though."

 _'So he visited. I wonder why there was no trace of his scent, even though I smelt our doctor, who rarely visited as well.'_ Naruto thinks. "Did you perhaps use a clone to visit nīchan, Jijī?"

Hiruzen nods. "I've been fairly swamped with paperwork as of late. Especially with trying to deal with the aftermath of Yuuzuki bringing Obito back with him on his last mission, and trying to figure out how to properly reintegrate him into the village." He says, filling his pipe, lighting it then taking a drag from it. "But how did you know?"

"That's not a true visit, Jijī, and you know it. True, shadow clones retain memories, but it's not the same as being there yourself, even if the other person may know the reason or not. As for how I know…" Naruto says, before inhaling deeply, "I didn't smell any trace of you there. Clones don't leave a scent, people do.

"My time at Mt. Enryū changed me a bit, more than just my visible physique, strength and knowledge. I am more foxlike concerning my senses, except for touch. I can see better, taste better, hear better, and _smell_ better." Naruto continues, his nose wrinkling as the smoke from Hiruzen's pipe finally reaches him. "Like your pipe for example. You haven't really cleaned it out in I'd say… two months."

Hiruzen looks to his pipe, then back to Naruto. "I can also the smell the potpourri incense that you usually like to burn whenever you get a reprieve from your paperwork still lingering in the air, as well as the sage-scented soap that you use whenever you bathe."

Hiruzen stares at Naruto. "Impressive. Your sense of smell is probably on par with the noses of the Inuzukas."

"It's actually better than theirs, as I can also smell when things have poisons in them, if the scent is strong enough, though much more so than before the Inuzuka's would. My taste is enhanced to where I can taste a much wider variety of foods as well as be able to detect toxins within foods. My body is pretty much immune to any form of poison.

"I can also hear your heartbeat if I concentrate a bit, even from where I am currently standing thanks to my ears. Speaking of them, I actually like them, but I know that not everyone would approve of them as much as I do." Naruto finishes.

"Hiruzen raises an eyebrow. "Your ears? What do you mean by that? They look fairly normal to me."

Naruto smirks, before moving towards Hiruzen and taking hold of his wrist when he's close enough. "I don't mean those ears," he says as he bows his head and raises Hiruzen's hand up to the top of his head to his right fox ear, "I mean _these_ ears. Just… don't squeeze them please, they're still really sensitive."

Hiruzen had almost instinctively pulled his hand away from Naruto when he had grabbed it, but had forced himself not to. He was then surprised when he felt the small appendages atop Naruto's head. He felt the short, silky fur, and lightly rubbed it, causing Naruto's head to lightly lean into his hand, almost like a cat would when being petted. "So you have fox ears? Any other new appendages?" He asks as he pulls his hand away.

Naruto returns to the center of the office. "Besided slight elongated and sharpened canines, there is nothing else that has changed physically. My eyesight has also improved to the point that I can see more vibrant colors and details, and even see in almost total darkness."

"That's… impressive. I don't think I've ever known anyone to change so dramatically in such a short period of time. Do Yuuzuki and Obito know about your new abilities and appendages?"

Naruto nods, before changing the subject. "Jijī, have you seen the new ramen shop that has recently opened?"

Hiruzen thinks for a moment. "I believe so, why do you ask?"

"They're putting a large amount of strain on the Ichirakus since they opened not too far from it – which is actually not the issue considering it's a normal business action. The Chūnin Exams is when they make most of their payroll, and this new shop is taking most of their customers. I stopped by this new shop earlier on my way here, and to be honest, they're seeming to be doing a half-assed job. Their cooking and preparations are poor, and while their service is fast, it's much too fast to mean that they're not trying to cut corners. They're bulk preparing a large portion of the products they're selling, and while that's not a big issue, the one that I mainly saw were that their meats weren't being fully cooked.

"Ichiraku has been in it spot for years, and I don't think it's fair that some new, half-rate joint comes by and starts stealing all of their business, while doing a poor job at it in the process." He finishes, before muttering more to himself than anything, "I'm just saying that – in my opinion – the new shop, with their poor service, is not worth keeping open."

Hiruzen listens before nodding. "I didn't realize that they had opened right next to another ramen shop. And I'll have to check on their food handling procedures. While they seem to have done enough to pass, it apparently sounds like they only did it so they can actually be given the go ahead to open shop, which could possibly get them in trouble. Thanks for letting me know Naruto, Is there anything else that you need?"

Naruto thinks, before shaking his head. "Nothing that is really needed to be addressed. I mainly just though that I would stop by to let you know that I was back in the village. It just happened to be a good time to let you know about the new ramen shop as well."

"Very well then… If there is nothing else that you would like to bring up, then I'll be seeing you around."

Naruto turns to leave, before stopping mid-step. "You know… there is another use for **_Kage Bunshin_** that you might find useful."

Hiruzen looks up. "And what might that be?"

Naruto chuckles. "Try looking down. See you around Jijī." He says, exiting the office in a poof of smoke.

Hiruzen looks down, bows furrowed in confusion. He wracks his brain and then it clicks. "Why didn't I think of that?" He asks aloud to no one in particular, before crossing his fingers in a cross shape. Two clones pop into existence, and the three Hiruzens then get to work on the bane of all kages; paperwork.

* * *

 ** _===Three Hours Later===_**

Obito slowly stirs and opens his eye, before sitting up and stretching. "So how was your nap?" A voice asks.

Obito looks to the voice and sees a woman he hasn'e seen before, seeing as it has only been him, Naruto, and Yuu the past couple days since his initial awakening. "Who are you?"

"My apologies. My name is Tsuki, I'm Naruto-kun's and Yuuzuki's family doctor. I'm the one who has been overseeing your recovery since your… accident." The woman replies.

"You're the one who's been treating me? Yuu-sama told me that I should thank you should I ever have the chance to meet you, so, uhh… thank you."

"You are mighty welcome, but I was only doing my job. I am a _doctor_ after all. I just came by to do a quick check-up, but you seem to be doing perfectly fine. I am a bit curious as to what happened to your scars though."

"Um, Naruto healed them for me."

"Naruto-kun healed them? Interesting. I was certain that they would remain, even after you were full healed, but it seems as though I was mistaken. When did he return?"

"Two days ago, Tsuki-chan." Naruto replies, surprising the two of them with his silent appearance.

Tsuki looks to Naruto. "Hello, Naruto-kun. How have you been?"

Naruto shrugs, his eyes a bit distant from being tired. "I've been fine Tsuki-chan. When I first arrived and saw Obito, his scars were pretty bad. He still has them, but they're only noticeable if you really look for them. He should also be about ready to return to active duty as well." He says as he removes his hitai-ate from around his neck. He lobs it at the bed-ridden boy with a quick, "think fast" stated as he did so.

Obito quickly catches the makeshift projectile before it can smack into his face, before chucking it back at Naruto. "Not bad for a three hour rest. You'll still be a little bit sore, so don't push yourself too hard too quickly."

Tsuki looks to Obito then back to Naruto. "What are you talking about?"

"Naruto-kun made Obito a cup of tea earlier, and Obito dropped like a rock." Yuu says, chuckling from the table. "Something called winterroot – an herb that supposedly stimulates muscle growth, or something like that."

"Winterroot? I've heard of it. But from what I know, it's extremely difficult to acquire, and not cheap to buy. Where'd you get it? Do you have any left?" Tsuki asks, looking to Naruto.

"It was a gift. And yes, I do still have some, but less than a gram's worth. As you said, it's not easy to get. I had actually forgotten that I had it, until Obito said something that made me remember it."

"Amazing… winterroot sells for a fortune. It's like a steroid on steroids, but all natural, and without any of the downsides and all of the upsides. To be given a gift of winterroot is unheard of. I would actually kill to get even a small amount."

"I can actually get my hands on a number of herbs considered fairly rare around the nations. Winterroot is unlikely, but I can easily acquire herbs such as; firepine, jasperwittle, aurumleaves, and faeriewyngs. I use those four myself in oils."

"Jasperwittle… isn't that used in – " Tsuki starts but is cut off by Naruto. "I'd rather not discuss the uses of that particular herb's usage as of this moment, Tsuki-chan."

Yuu looks to Tsuki, then back to Naruto. "What is jasperwittle used for, Naruto?"

"I'll tell you when I'm ready nīchan, I promise. Just not right now." Naruto replies.

"Firepine is a stunting agent, aurumleaf I think is for skin disorders of sorts, like rashes, and faeriewyng is a pore opener. All are fairly difficult to acquire in the nations." Tsuki says, before looking at Naruto. "But, I'm curious, what do you use the firepine for?"

Naruto points to his head. "My ears." He then lowers his head and parts his hair, showing Tsuki his small fox ears. "I got them while away training, as an environmental and dietary mutation of sorts."

"Are they fully functional?"

Naruto nods, before twitching his ears, making his hair move. "I have full control over them, but I don't want too many people to actually touch them, even though I've already had three people do so. He also found out after letting Hiruzen scritch one of them that they're also a major pleasure point, and that he reacts similar to how a dog would to its ear being scritched.

Tsuki nods. "And I imagine they have a high level of sensitivity. Most animals have a number of pleasure centers within their ears, bundles of nerves that simulate pleasure, like a gentle caress." She then move towards Naruto. "May I?"

Naruto nods lightly, and sits down. He trusts Tsuki, like he should trust any renowned doctor. Tsuki parts Naruto's hair, uncovering his ears. She lightly prods them, examining how they react from different stimuli. She lightly caresses them, causing a faint, purr-like sound to come from the back of his throat, as well as craning his head into Tsuki's hand.

Tsuki finished examining the ears and back away from Naruto. "They seem fine to me, but I'm no vet. The color seems healthy – a nice, light pink – which is good. All the pleasure centers seem to be there as well. They're also well cared for, and don't seem to causing any issues. They're perfectly fine as far as I can tell."

Naruto nods, and reaches up to fiddle with his hair, covering up his ears. "I apply firepine daily whenever I shower or bathe. I do all my oilings daily to be honest."

"Speaking of oilings, about the jasperwittle… you do realize that that's a risky thing that you have done, right?" Tsuki asks, earning a nod. "If you ever feel that something is wrong with them, let me know. I know a thing or two about that particular area of practice." She says a bit quieter, before bidding the trio farewell and leaving via the door.

Yuu stands and moves to the kitchen, followed by Naruto, who unseals a small bottle. He then hands it to Yuu, who asks what it is.

"Mix some in with Obito's portion. It's a vitamin and mineral concoction that I made from a number of herds. It'll help get the nutrients that his body need significantly faster and easier. He's still a bit underweight and skinny. It'll take a while, even with this supplement, to get him back in shape, but it'll definitely help speed it up." Naruto replies. He then moves to sit on his futon, crossing his legs and meditating. _'Kurama, do you think that I'm pushing myself too hard?'_

 _'What do you mean, kit? Are you talking about in terms of helping that boy, or in terms of training?'_ Kurama replies.

 _'More towards Obito. I know that I don't really know him, but for some reason I feel like by helping him, I'm doing Kakashi-san a favor. They were teammates then they were together on a team. Even though Obito hasn't aged and Kakashi-san has since they last met… that's going to be an interesting experience when they finally run into eachother.'_

 _'If you believe that what you're doing is the right thing, then keep at it. If you believe that you should rethink what you're doing, then do so. I can only influence you so much kit… well, I mean I could force my influence, but that's not the point. You are your own person, so what you feel is best.'_

Naruto fully enters his mindscape, and stands before Kurama. "Thanks Kurama. You're right." He says as he moves to sit by Kurama. As he moves, his form changes, blurring and shrinking, becoming more quadrupedal. By the time he reaches Kurama, he has completely changed. Gone is the silver-haired, few inches short of five feet, eleven year old; and in its place is a fully grown, silver-furred fox. He moves to and rests against to Kurama.

"Not bad kit, you're getting better at shifting your mental appearance; but you really should practice shifting your physical appearance."

Naruto tilts his head to look up at Kurama. "But silver-coated foxes are considered ultra-rare game. Until I learn to alter my fur pigments mid-shift, I won't shift, or practice shifting with my physical form."

"You can still practice to get used to it, not to mention, it'll be a different experience than your mental apparition of yourself. It'll be harder to do as well, but the choice is yours in the long run."

Naruto lies down and rests his head against his paws, closing his eyes and exiting the mindscape. He feels eyes on him, and sees Obito looking at him. But it's not exactly _him_ that Obito is looking at. He looks down to his arms and sees very fine, silver fur coating them. He immediately stops his chakra flow, and the fur slowly fades. _'Damn… I didn't even realize I was channeling my chakra. I need to be more careful.'_

Naruto stands and moves to sit by Obito. "That's another thing I would like you to keep quiet for now. Kurama taught me to utilize my chakra to completely alter my form, allowing me to shift into a fox. I'm hesitant to use it though, because when I shift, I turn into a _silver_ -furred fox, and animal whose pelt is worth a tone of ryō. I don't want to shift until I fully understand the mechanics of the technique, and can change the color of my fur as I shift." He says, quietly.

"Why keep this quiet though? Why keep so much hidden from Yuu-sama?"

"Because… I don't feel ready to discuss certain things. So much has changed in the past year for me, that I'm still working on sorting things out."

* * *

Yuu finishes preparing dinner, and picks up the bottle that Naruto had given him. He opens and smells it, but can't smell anything at all, before placing it back down. He prepares three bowls, before sprinkling a little of the bottle's contents onto one of the bowls of food, a fine, white powder flaking onto the food, before vanishing. He closes and pockets the bottle, before carrying the dishes to the table.

Obito and Naruto move to the table, Naruto looking at Yuu. Yuu lightly nods to Obito's bowl, then moves to seat himself. The trio eat in relative silence, only talking periodically about random things.

When dinner is finished, the three take their bowls to the kitchen, before heading to their beds. Obito crashes quickly, while Yuu and Naruto talk quietly. "I hope you know what you're doing Naruto. You're having Obito ingest the same things that gave you your enhanced senses and features." Yuu says, handing the bottle back to Naruto.

"Obito will be fine. The powder is a fine blend of snowbeet, heavenpetals, gin-root, and sunmyst. They're all harmless to both animals and humans alike. When combined, they make a supplement that helps generate body-mass – fat and muscle. It'll also somewhat help his blood count, which I suspect is also somewhat low and weakened, having been recovering for so long. Besides, the herbs aren't what changed me, it was the actual food and the environmental effects." Naruto replies.

Yuu lays back, and Naruto discreetly seals the bottle away, before lying down himself. A few minutes later, Yuu is out. Naruto stares at the ceiling, deep in thought about the upcoming exams, and other nonsensical things. He eventually succumbs to slumber himself, thinking about the possible challenges coming up in the next few days.

* * *

 ** _And that is chapter seven. God, I'm so sorry that that took so long to finally get posted, but I had my friend holding onto my writing while I was getting things sorted out, and they ended up putting it in storage. I only just got it back about a week ago and have been typing pretty much nonstop, revising and tweaking this chapter. And then the word program on my tablet which I was typing it on originally ended up corrupting everything I had typed, so I had to start all over from the beginning… *cries* Anyway, it may be a little while before I get chapter eight done, because it is massive. It's going to be covering the entirety of the Chūnin Exams, and in it's written rough-draft form is one hundred pages, so it's likely gonna be split into three or possibly four chapters depending on the amount of words it has in total. Part two of this chapter actually had close to the limit I'm setting on myself per chapter. Anyways, enough of my rambling, until next time. Ja ne._**


	13. Chūnin Exams and More - Part 1

The ANBU Shadows

* * *

Chapter 8 – Part 1

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

* * *

 _ **So before I start, let me say, this is possibly the longest chapter that I've written in this entire story. All five of these parts equal the amount of words that were in the entirety of the first five full chapters, this chapter equaling 59113 words in its entirety, so yeah... Anyways I would also like to add that I got a new beta since my last one kind of just disappeared, so I would like to thank NyteBlayde904**_ _ **for all the work he put in to helping check for typos and such. If you want to check out his profile - even if it's still small - I'll leave a link in my bio. Anyways, enough rambling and on with the story.**_

* * *

 ** _===Two Days Later===_**

Obito crawls from the warm confines of the blanket and stands, stretching. He looks around and sees that both Naruto and Yuu are gone from their beds. He heads to and uses the bathroom before exiting the room and head downstairs. He is met with the sight of Naruto and Yuu sparring, and a somewhat damaged training room floor.

* * *

Naruto and Yuu stare eachother down, before Naruto lunges, disappearing then reappearing behind Yuu, a strike already in motion. Yuu ducks, lashing out with a kick which cause Naruto to fall to the ground. Yuu then lunges, aiming to slam his elbow into Naruto's gut.

Naruto rolls away and jumps to his feet, creating a clone mid-roll. The two Narutos then rush at Yuu, who efficiently and effectively parries and dodges strikes. Yuu catches Naruto by the wrist, then twists around pulling Naruto with him, before throwing him into the clone, dispelling it. Naruto tumbles, before rolling once more to his feet, activating his _Akumagan_ as he proceeds to rush at Yuu again.

Yuu changes to a more defensive posture, and focuses on deflecting Naruto's attacks via arm strikes. He knows he can't allow Naruto to start landing hits, or else it'll become more difficult as time passes.

Naruto channels chakra to his hands and lashes out at Yuu, his aim deadly accurate, but being countered at every blow. He then decides to try something new. He channels chakra into his arm, allowing it to build up, even while continuing his assault. The chakra continues to build, while Yuu continues to remain on the defensive.

Yuu ducks and proceeds to head-butt the younger in the chest, before twisting his body twisting and lowering his body, bringing his elbow up into Naruto's jaw, causing him to stumble back lightly and rub his jaw, before recovering. Yuu parries a blow, and swings his body around, aiming a kick for Naruto's side.

Naruto sees the incoming kick and leaps back avoiding it, before lunging forward and aiming a strike at the still in motion limb. He grazes the leg and closes a couple of tenketsu, causing Yuu to quickly jump backwards, and test his leg, before rushing at the younger once more, opening the first gate midway. His speed increases and he vanishes before reappearing behind Naruto.

Naruto dives to the side after sensing Yuu behind him, avoiding the elbow strike that would've knocked him for a loop, and rolls to his feet. He feels the strain of the chakra built up in his arm, and thrusts his arm towards Yuu, palm out. " ** _Fūton: Kūshō_** _(Wind Release: Vacuum Palm)."_ A blast of chakra-infused wind blasts from his palm and slams into Yuu, knocking him off of his feet, sending him tumbling.

* * *

Obito watches as the Tataki brothers pretty much match eachother, move for move. He notices Naruto change fighting styles, and realizes that it seems somewhat familiar. He activates his two-tomoe _Sharingan_ and continues to watch the fight with interest.

* * *

Yuu climbs to his feet, and looks to Naruto, smirking. He then cracks his knuckles and neck before rushing straight at Naruto.

Naruto drops his _Jyūken_ stance and shifts back into his _Gōken_ stance. He forms a few, quick hand-seals. _"_ ** _Fūton: Rankyakū_** _."_ A rapidly rotating coat of wind appears around his legs, before he rushes towards Yuu, leaving a cloud of dust and small debris in his wake.

The two silverettes near eachother, both with a fist mid-swing, as time seems to slow two the two. The look eachother in the eyes, a flash of acknowledgement in them, before time appears to return to normal, as their in-motion fists collide into eachother. An eruption of winds and debris from the force of the impact fly through the air in every direction.

Naruto and Yuu twist and kick, their legs slamming into eachother, another shockwave emitting from their position causing more cracks to appear on the flooring. They continue trading blows, as well as blasting wind and dust and causing more damage to the floor from every impact.

Naruto then drops and kicks out, risking being slammed from above by Yuu in order to knock him off of his feet. Yuu stumbles and quickly jumps back, before rushing in once more.

Naruto stands, blocking another strike, sending actual rubble now flying. He swings blindly and manages to catch Yuu on his chin, snapping his head back. Yuu quickly recovers, lashing out, catching Naruto in the chest, knocking the wind from him. Naruto gasps and somewhat recovers as they begin trading blows once more, causing even more destruction to the quickly deteriorating training hall.

As they continue trading blows, they both know that their match has now pretty much come to a matter of endurance; who will succumb to their injuries and exhaustion first. Naruto decides to play once last, possible trump card, a somewhat dirty technique he's been working on. He focuses on channeling chakra through his blows, somewhat mimicking the precision and deadliness of _Jyūken_ strikes with the raw physical destruction of the _Gōken._

Yuu notices that the strength of his strikes seems to be weakening, and decides to open the second gate, so as not to get overwhelmed. He then begins to push Naruto back, little by little.

Naruto feels Yuu's chakra spike as well as himself being pushed back. He debates using his Bijū cloak, but decides against it, knowing the Yuu will only counter it with more gates, meaning that it's a matter of outmaneuvering and out-thinking Yuu… not exactly an easy task. He proceeds to clear his thoughts and allows a minute amount of his acquired vulpine instincts to come into play. His eyes slightly slit, and his visual prowess enhances, even with his dōjutsu already active. His sense of hearing enhances, allowing him to more easily hear his and Yuu's breaths. And his motor-functions enhance, allowing him to move more fluidly and his strikes to slowly become more unpredictable.

Yuu notices Naruto's attacks becoming more difficult to react appropriately to, and has to focus more in order to properly deflect and match Naruto's strikes. After a number of blows, it finally happens; a blow manages to slip through Yuu's defenses, catching him by surprise and throwing his concentration off. He manages to pull himself back together, though another strike manages to make its way through, this one making him stumble back a little bit. A third soon finds its way through, this one knocking him off balance. Then a kick comes, knocking him off of his feet, sending him flying a fair distance, before hitting the ground and sliding even further before coming a rest against the wall. As he comes to his senses, his two-gate enhancement slowly wears off.

* * *

Naruto had kicked Yuu with everything he had, and sent Yuu flying. He had remained poised and ready to continue the spar, watching as Yuu had slid fifteen feet, even after having flown at least twenty through the air. He relaxes his posture, breathing deeply to calm himself. His vulpine instincts slowly fade away as he begins walking towards Yuu, before offering his hand and pulling Yuu to his feet. "That was a good spar nīchan. We haven't had a good spar in what feels like forever."

"I agree Naruto, it was a decent spar. But I must admit that I am a bit curious as to what happened there near the end of the spar. I was barely able to follow and predict your strikes." Yuu says.

Naruto grins. "That, nīchan, is a secret. I can't just tell you all of my techniques, otherwise they wouldn't be much of a surprise when they happen anymore."

"Okay, sure… whatever you say Naruto-kun. Anyways, did you notice that we had a little bit of an audience as we were getting close to the end there?"

Naruto nods. "Although, I didn't see his as much as I had heard him. He's not a quiet as he might think he is."

The two then begin to move towards Obito, and when they get in range, Naruto speak. "Did you enjoy the show, Obito? Learn anything interesting that you might be able to copy and use?"

Obito blinks. "You two are crazy. Even with my _Sharingan_ active, I was still barely able to keep up with how fast you two were moving."

Naruto nods. "That is something that we take a bit of pride in. Very few can match out speed if we can help it."

"But why the need for so much strength and speed?"

"Because, while we may be among the strongest and fastest in Konoha, that doesn't mean the same for the entirety of the nations. There is always going to be someone out there who will be able to knock us down a peg or two. That's why we push ourselves as hard as we do." Naruto replies. "Now let's head upstairs so that nīchan and I can go and get cleaned up, as well as grab something to eat."

The trio head back to the bedroom and Naruto makes a beeline straight for the bathroom. Yuu enters the kitchen while Obito goes to sit on the edge of his borrowed bed. Yuu then comes out of the kitchen and stands in front of the Uchiha, causing him to look up. "Obito, I want you to punch me, with as much power as you can put behind it." Yuu says.

Obito blinks. "Wait… what? Why?"

"Just do it…" Yuu says, leaving no room for argument, as he backs up to allow the young raven a little more room.

Obito stands, popping his knuckles and rolling his shoulders, before lashing out at Yuu, putting everything he can muster – without chakra boosting himself – into the strike.

Yuu looks at his palm, a bit surprised at the force behind the punch. _'Damn, Naruto-kun… whatever concoction that powder was really seems to have worked… maybe a bit more than I think it should have.'_ He thinks. "Impressive. You've definitely got some power behind your strikes. I'd say you're probably back up to speed. Just don't overdo it."

Obito nods and retakes his seat as Yuu returns to the kitchen, and begins to prepare breakfast. A few minutes later, Naruto emerges from the bathroom. He has his Kitsune vest outfit on, with his hitai-ate tied in its usual place. He moves towards Obito. "I left you an outfit to wear. I would recommend wearing it." He says, before moving to sit on the edge of Yuu's bed.

Obito proceeds to move to the bathroom, where he proceeds to shower. Once done, he dries and picks up the clothes that Naruto had left for him and dresses. He has a black, comfortable t-shirt, which seems a lot sturdier than a normal shirt. Over that, he has a dark-blue vest with the Uchiha Crest on the back, and the kanji; 九 (Nine), on the front, left chest. The pants are the same blue as the vest. A black fabric hitai-ate and black sandals finish off the outfit.

He brings the hitai-ate to his forehead and stops, before unrolling it partially, and then bringing it to his forehead, the unrolled length covering his left eye. He then exits the bathroom and goes back to his borrowed bed. "Where'd you get this outfit from, Naruto?" He asks, looking to Naruto, whose eyes are currently closed.

Naruto opens his eyes. "I had them tailored to fit you. You're still a little underweight, and I assumed that you would want some clothes of your own, so that you don't always have to borrow some of my older ones. Also, that undershirt isn't entirely cheap. It's made from the same fabric as the ANBU vests, but it's still worth it if you've got the money to spare.

"Pretty much everything I usually wear is also made from it as well. Your vest will deflect a kunai that's been thrown, and even protect you from minor jutsus… to an extent. The hitai-ate cloth is a special, sweat-wicking fabric that will help keep your head cool. The pants and sandals are ANBU regulation, so they're also going to be sturdy and reliable. All-in-all, is possibly worth ten-thousand ryō (about $90 USD or 80€), and worth every coin." Naruto continues.

Obito looks at the clothes, surprised. _'Ten-thousand ryō? What the hell?'_ He then looks towards Naruto. "If mine is that much, then how much is yours? Also, why spend so much on me?"

"Because if you're going to be my teammate in the exams, you're going to need the functionality of better clothing, especially if what nīchan 'let slip' the other day is true. As for my outfit, this one is a fair bit different than ANBU regulation. I actually handmade this one myself, and what a bitch that was. But, if I was to sell it, it would possibly go for around thirty-thousand, give-or-take."

Obito stares at Naruto. "Th-thirty? You said thirty-thousand? Sweet Kami that's a lot of ryō."

Naruto shrugs and pulls of his vest, before handing it to Obito. "Feel the fabric. Tell me what you _feel._ "

Obito takes the vest and stares at it the moment his fingers grasp it. _'What the…? It's so light, and the fabric doesn't even feel like fabric, it feels almost like… fur.'_ He thinks, before looking back to Naruto. "This… isn't fabric is it? If I'm right – and I think I am – it's fur, possibly fox fur. But why is it so light? I can barely feel any weight."

Naruto nods. "You're right, mostly. More specifically it's _Kitsune_ fur. They were kind enough to share bits of their coats. As for why it's so light, I'm not really sure myself. But that vest can easily deflect a full sword. Kitsune fur is almost as hard as steel, yet, as soft as treated cotton."

Obito nods, and rubs a hand over the vest, feeling the texture. _'It's definitely extremely soft, that's for sure.'_ He thinks, before handing the vest back to Naruto, who takes and slips it on.

Naruto's ears twitch and he sniffs the air, standing and moving to the table, his mouth watering at the smells in the air. Obito follows and sits as well, just as Yuu comes from the kitchen, carrying three plates which he sets on the table, before returning to the kitchen, then returning with two more, before heading to take his own shower.

Naruto eyes the food before helping himself, piling his plate with sausages, eggs, hash browns and bacon. He gets up and moves to the kitchen, before returning with two glasses and a pitcher of orange juice, which he sets on the table.

Obito watches as Naruto piles his plate high with food. Once the silverette is finished, Obito proceeds to fill his plate as well, though with nowhere near as much as Naruto does. The two then eat in relative silence, making very few comments. Halfway through, Yuu emerges from the shower and joins them at the table. "So are you two ready for today?" He asks.

Naruto and Obito both nod. "How do you think we'll do, Yuu-sama?" Obito asks.

"You'll be fine. You've got Naruto-kun with you, and he's easily the strongest Konoha Genin, though you shouldn't struggle too much, except against a handful of people. You should however watch out for Gai's team. They're second year Genin, and are far above most of the other Genin." Yuu says.

"Speaking of teams, Obito; if you see a red-haired boy with the tattoo love on his forehead and a gourd on his back, a boy with what seemed to be a mummy on his back wearing what looked like a cat-suit, and a female with four-ponytails and a battle-fan on her back, avoid them and let me know. That's a team to keep an eye on. They're from Suna, and are all the Kazekage's children. The redhead is also the Jinchūriki of the Ichibi." Naruto says.

Yuu looks at Naruto. "The Ichibi? You mean to say that there's another Jinchūriki here for the Chūnin exams?"

Naruto nods. "The Ichibi, or Shukaku, is known for being a difficult Bijū to deal with. It has a tendency to whisper sweet tragedies to its hosts, causing insomnia and bloodthirst. I ran into him the other day, and the signs were easily visible; deep, bold rings around his eyes, a clear sign of severe insomnia. I could also feel the bloodlust radiating off of him. I told him to ignore Shukaku's whisperings, but it may be difficult, depending on how bad his seal is."

Yuu nods. "A faulty seal could definitely lead to issues, but without a seal master, there's not much that can be done."

Naruto nods. "I could take a look at it, but I know for a fact that I'm nowhere near skilled enough to modify an active seal without doing more harm than good. I'm not even sure that my fūin-bijon (seal visions) would be enough to really help, but I can try." He says, before forming a series of hand-seals, then biting his thumb. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Makimono no Uzumaki_** _(Summoning Technique: Scroll of Uzumaki)."_ A poof of smoke appears then fades, revealing a large blue scroll.

Naruto braces himself as he touches the Uzumaki Crest with the blood on his thumb, and the scroll pops open. A moment later, and influx of fūin knowledge floods his mind. He signs to Yuu 'paper', and Yuu quickly goes off to find the room's fūin-kit, a forethought of Naruto's, and brings it to the younger silverette. By the time he returns, Naruto's hand seems to be grasping for a writing utensil.

Obito watches in silence, this being the first time he's seen the effects of the trance from the Uzumaki scroll. He goes to say something, but is stopped by Yuu, who shakes his head and motions to wait.

Yuu places the paper and utensil in front of Naruto and backs away. Naruto immediately grasps the utensil and begins scrawling on the paper. A few minutes pass and Naruto finishes the scrawling, and the scroll snaps shut on its own. Naruto's eyes close, then reopen, before turning to examine the paper. On the paper is a fairy elaborate, yet oddly simple seal.

"Is that it Naruto? The seal to be given to the red-head?" Yuu asks.

Naruto looks up, his eyes distant for a moment, before they quickly snap into focus. "Yeah. Now we just need someone who is better with fūinjutsu to implement it."

Obito looks back and forth between the two brothers. "What just happened?"

Yuu looks to Obito. "Naruto opened the Uzumaki fūinjutsu scroll. Whenever he does that, he is assaulted mentally as the scrolls searches for what it is that he seeks, dumping and removing a large amount of knowledge in a short period of time. However, only a person of Uzumaki lineage can use the scroll. Any relatives should theoretically also be able to utilize it if given permission, those of non-Uzumaki lineage I mean."

Obito nods. "So if I tried to touch the scroll –" "And you didn't have permission from Naruto, you would be knocked back." Obito starts and is finished by Yuu. The scroll then disappears in a poof of smoke.

Naruto stands and move to his bed, touching a small, well-hidden seal. A poof of smoke appears then clears, revealing a belt, adorned with ninja pouches. "Remember this nīchan?" He asks.

Yuu nods. "I've been wondering where you put that. I haven't seen it since before you left."

Naruto smiles, and begins removing everything from within the pouches, and neatly, separately piling them off to the side. He then moves to his futon and grabs something. When he stands, he is seen to be holding an ink-blank belt, with steel-grey pouches. He moves to Obito and hands the old belt to him, before moving back to the bed and beginning to fill the new pouches, checking his gear as he goes.

Obito looks at the belt, then to Naruto, then Yuu, and blinks. "You should be grateful Obito. That was the belt that I had given Naruto for his birthday four years ago. He used it on every mission we ever went on afterwards. He's mended and repaired it a number of times, and now he's given it to you. Take good care of it, because I know if definitely means a lot to him." Yuu says.

Obito looks at the belt again. He can see the numerous, slightly different colored patches. He rubs his thumb along it, feeling how well-worn it is. It's not frayed or flaky, but more akin to well-worked and aged leather, kind of… fuzzy to the touch. He then examines the pouches, and notices that they too, are well worn, but well looked after.

Naruto finished packing his new pouches, minus a few kunai, before heading to and disappearing into the back room. When he reappears, he is carrying a sharpening stone, as well as a black-sheathed blade. He goes and sits on the bed, and begins sharpening the kunai, lost in thought.

Obito stares at the blade, drawn to it for some reason. "Don't think about it Obito. That blade is not up for grabs. It was my gift to him for his tenth birthday. I'm actually a little surprised that he brought it out. If you want, he may even allow you to look at it and hold it." Yuu says.

Obito nods, and moves to sit on Yuu's bed. Before he can say anything though, Naruto holds out the sheathed blade. "I heard. Just be careful, it's very sharp."

Obito takes the blade and examines the sheath. It's soft to the touch, and black as night. He examines the dragon curled around the hilt, rubbing his thumb over it, feeling every detail. He then unsheathes it, and stares at the black blade. "It's got a pearlescent effect to it. It changes color when you view it from a different angle." Naruto says.

Obito rotates the blade and sees the burnt-orange color. He flips it over and notices the calligraphic kanji near the hilt. He stares at it until he can make it out; たたき, Tataki. He rubs his thumb over the kanji, and feels their embossed texture before re-sheathing the blade. "It's a beautiful blade, Naruto. What's it made from? Steel? Titanium?"

"Actually, it's made from chakrinite. It's chakra steel. You channel your chakra into it, and it can easily damage other metal weapons. The sharper the blade itself, the sharper the channeled chakra will be." Naruto says.

Obito looks at the blade. "This is made from chakrinite? How did you get so much of it? Isn't it supposed to be a rare metal?"

Naruto smirks. "Nīchan has his ways. To be honest, he actually kind of spoils me. Ever since he adopted me, it's been pretty one good thing after another." He examines his last kunai, and satisfied, pockets the stone, and places the kunai in his kunai pouch. "I'm keeping this whetstone nīchan." He then grabs his ninjato from Obito, and puts it inside of his vest, before glancing at the time. "We should get going, Obito."

Obito nods and stands. "See you later nīchan." Naruto says, placing a hand on Obito's shoulder, before they **_shunshin_** out of the room.

Yuu smirks, before heading to change.

* * *

Obito and Naruto appear in a poof of smoke, before entering the building they appear in front of. "Welcome, how can I help you today?" They hear, as they walk to where the counter where a man stands.

"Ohayō, Takiru-jī-san. My friend here needs some tools for the exams. Think you could possibly spare some?" Naruto asks.

Takiru looks at Naruto. "Naruto! When did you get back? Um, sure, yeah… take whatever you need."

Naruto looks to Obito, before nodding his head towards the ninja tools; tags, smoke bombs, kunai, shuriken, etc. Obito heads to and begins getting what he needs.

Naruto then turns to Takiru. "Hey Takiru, you think that I could order a ninjato? Nothing too fancy, just an ANBU-reg one." He asks quietly.

Takiru eyes Naruto. "But don't you have that spiffy, chakra metal one? Oh, it's for him, isn't it?"

Naruto nods, "If I remember correctly, his birthday should be coming up in a month or so, and I want to get him a useful gift.

 ** _(A/N: The original chūnin exams in the first series of the anime took place around July, according to a few sources, but since Obito's birthday is February 10, I'm actually going to be making the exams take place during a different time. No real major difference that I can really see, just a bit out of the canon time period. Just means fillers… =P)_**

Takiru smiles, before nodding. "Sure, I can order one, but it ain't gonna be cheap, you know that right?"

Naruto nods. "I know Takiru-san. You know nīchan and I can easily afford your wares. We do buy in bulk for the ANBU, if you had forgotten. We ship 'em out after we buy them, so that they don't have to."

Takiru nods. "Right, I had forgotten that." He says, then spots Obito looking at a set of ninjatos. "He seems to like those blades, have you shown him yours?"

Naruto nods. "Yeah, he seemed transfixed by it when I passed him earlier, carrying it. So I let him examine it."

Just as Takiru is about to reply, Obito returns, and places his variety of tools on the counter.

Takiru waves his hand. "Take 'em. Naruto and his brother are big business. A few dozen tools won't matter much when they tend to buy as much as they do."

Obito stares at Takiru, then the tools, then Naruto. "Are you sure?" He asks, earning two nods, before proceeding to put the tolls in the pouches that Naruto had given him.

Takiru then gets a good look at the belt and pouches. "Well then. Ain't that a sight for sore eyes? You actually parted with it, Naruto?"

Naruto nods, and pulls his new belt off, handing it to Takiru, who examines the belt and whistles appreciatively. "That be some mighty fine craftwork. Where'd you get it? I ain't ever seen a belt as sturdy and high quality as that." He says, handing the belt back to Naruto, who re-equips it.

"I made it myself. It's based off the older one, but modified to be much more durable." Naruto replies, as Obito finishes packing his tools. "We'll talk later Takiru-san, we get going."

"Alright. Take care you two, and give 'em hell." Takiru says as Naruto and Obito vanish in a poof of smoke.

They appear outside the Academy, startling a handful of others. They enter and make their way to the required location. On the second floor, they run into a crowd of Genin. "C'mon, let us through. We're supposed to be here for the exams." One person says.

Naruto blinks, looking at the door sign, sweat-dropping. He touches Obito on the shoulder, whispering "kai" as he does. "A genjutsu, designed to fool and slow down those, not observant enough to see past it. Not to mention, a minor one at that." He states quietly, earning a nod.

Naruto and Obito continue on their way, spotting team seven. Naruto taps Sai on the shoulder, and raises a finger to his lips, before motioning to Sakura and Sasuke, to get them before one of them does something stupid. Sai nods, and taps on their shoulders, before pointing to Naruto, who once again puts a finger to his lips, and beckons them closer. He taps them on the shoulders, breaking the illusion's hold and points at the sign. "Genjutsu." He whispers.

"If you can't get past, then you don't deserve to be here in the exams." One guy says, obviously disguised with a **_henge_** , as he stands in front of the door with another guy, also disguised. "If you want to continue on, then you need to get past us." The second guy says.

Naruto, Obito, and Team Seven all walk past the crowd, and Naruto glances to the **_henge'd_** guards, winking to him, before returning to stalling the other Genin. The quintet reaches the end of the hall, when they encounter Team Nine. Naruto halts, and tells Team Seven to go on ahead.

"Well, if it isn't Naruto-san." Lee says, enthusiastically. "I hope that your flames of youth are still burning passionately?"

Obito stares at Lee. "Good to see you as well Lee. Now if you would please, cool your jets a little bit. You and Gai can get a little annoying with your youth nonsense."

Lee cries anime waterfall tears. "You're so cruel, Naruto-san."

Naruto then turns to Neji, then Tenten. "How have you two been?"

"Good, Naruto, and what about you? We haven't seen you around in a while." Neji says, before turning and actually taking in Obito. "Who's this?"

"I'm fine Neji. This is Obito, my teammate for the exams."

Team Nine examines Obito, Lee circling around him, causing him to feel a bit awkward. "Obito? Why does that name sound familiar?" Tenten asks.

"Don't you think that we should be heading upstairs?" Obito asks.

"Well, unless you want to run into you-know-who, then I suggest we wait a little bit longer." Naruto replies, before rummaging through a pouch and handing what he retrieves to Obito. "Place that on your neck below your collar, we might need it."

Obito nods, and lightly presses the paper to his neck, before feeling a light tingling. _'Don't freak out Obito. The paper that I gave you is a telepathy seal. It'll allow us to communicate silently.'_ Naruto thinks to Obito.

Obito looks at Naruto. "That's a little bit freaky, Naruto… oops." He says aloud, realizing that he needs to only think to use it.

 _'The person I was talking about is Kakashi-san. He the Jōnin of Team Seven, the other three that we were with. I think it may be better if we run into him later.'_ Naruto thinks. "I'll be right back." He says before vanishing in a poof of smoke.

"What was that about?" Lee asks, getting no responses.

* * *

A poof of smoke right next to Kakashi makes him jump a little, until he realizes that it is only Naruto. "Hello, Naruto, how have you been?" It's been a while."

Naruto nods. "Indeed it has. I have a favor to ask. Could we meet later? I've got someone who would possibly like to meet up with you."

"Sure… I guess. But due to it being the exams, it'll be a little difficult to get around to actually having time. Well, I guess I'll see you later, I've got something to do." Kakashi says, disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Naruto rolls his eyes, before telling Obito that he can come up now, and that he should have Team Nine come as well.

A few minutes later the quartet arrive. "What was that about?" Tenten asks.

"Nothing important. Just needed to speak with Kakashi-san for a moment" He then leaves it at that, before turning and opening the door to room 301. He, Obito and Team then enter. Naruto looks around and sees almost two-hundred others, sixty or so teams. He spots teams seven, eight and ten as well off to the side.

One of the boys from team eight walks up to the newcomers, and Naruto notices that he smells like dogs, even though not facing the approaching boy. "Hey Kiba, Akamaru."

Kiba blinks, looking at Naruto, before Akamaru yips, causing Kiba to grin. "Oh, it's Naruto. How have you been?"

Naruto sighs. "I'm fine… thanks for being like the seventh person to ask. Sorry for being a little irritated, having to answer the same question over and over again is starting to get annoying."

Naruto then notices a bit of a squabble from the other Konoha Genin going on behind Kiba.

"You guys are rookies, correct?" A voice asks. Naruto, Kiba, and the other Konoha Genin all turn to face the newcomer. "You guys really should be more quiet." He says.

"Who the hell are you?" Kiba asks.

"The name's Kabuto. But seriously, you guys are starting to make a scene, just look around." Kabuto says. "These exams put everyone on edge.

As the rest of the Genin look around, Naruto continues with eye-contact with Kabuto, something off about him.

"It sounds like you know from experience. I take it that this isn't your first time participating." Sakura asks.

"No… it's actually my sixth. These exams are held twice a year, so this'll be my second attempt for this year's exams." Kabuto replies.

"Wow, a veteran, you must be really good then." Sakura replies.

Kiba scoffs. "Some veteran. He's never passed."

"Sixth time's the charm, am I right? But my time hasn't totally been for naught. I have managed to acquire these." Kabuto says, pulling out a stack of seemingly black cards.

"Info cards I presume?" Naruto asks. "And since they're initially appear blank, I'm going to say invisible ink that only appears when responding to your chakra?"

Kabuto looks at Naruto, surprised. "Impressive. That's correct. They have information that I've recorded during my times at the exams. Even information on other ninjas, you all included. Have you got anyone in mind?"

Sasuke steps forward. "Rock Lee, Obito, and Naruto Tataki, all of Konoha." He says, pointing at the three named Genin.

"I have one as well, Gaara no Sabaku of Suna." Naruto says.

"You all even know their names and affiliations, that makes it easy. However, I can't guarantee that my information is complete." Kabuto says, before drawing four tarot cards. "First up, Rock Lee of Konoha.

"Hmm… 40 D-ranks and 14 C-ranks. Teammates of Neji Hyūga and Tenten, their Jōnin sensei being Maito Gai. His ninjutsu and genjutsu are negligible, but his taijutsu is way up there.

"Next is Gaara no Sabaku of Suna. He is teammates with his siblings Kankurō and Temari no Sabaku, under their Jōnin sensei, Baki. He's done 40 D-ranks, 13 B-Ranks, and get this, 1 A-rank that has been completely without having received a single scratch." Kabuto says as the rest of the Genin all look at Gaara in disbelief, minus Naruto. _'Hmm, sounds like Shukaku's doing.'_ He thinks. "Other than that, not much else is really know about him." Kabuto continues.

"Third up is Naruto Tataki of Konoha…" Kabuto starts, before having the card snatched from his hand, skimmed over, before being replaced, all in the span of a couple seconds. Kabuto looks at Naruto an eyebrow raised, before looking back to the card. "As I was saying… there's actually not much information about his abilities to be honest. He isn't part of any team, and instead goes on private missions with his adoptive father Yuuzuki Tataki. His missions however, are all over the place; 179 D-ranks, 84 C-ranks, 71 C-ranks, 39 A-ranks, and… even 12 S-ranks…" He says letting that hang.

All the Konoha and foreign look at Naruto upon hearing that information "His ninjutsu is a bit average while his genjutsu is negligible. However, his taijutsu is through the roof, even more so than Lee's. He is also known to carry a ninjato that is almost always on him, as well known to have a summoning contract, though the species is unknown. In my opinion, Naruto appears to be a walking tank." Kabuto continues.

"And finally, Obito of Konoha…" Kabuto says, trailing off as he looks at his card. "His card is pretty much blank, as if he doesn't even exist. There's a picture and first name, but that's it, everything else is blank." The Konoha Genin all look at Obito.

 _'Relax, Obito. Just breathe.'_ Naruto says mentally. Obito does so, and relaxes.

"Sorry about that, there's not much else that I can do about that." Kabuto says, before pulling out a fifth card and pumping chakra into it. He shows a depiction of the nations with the participation levels of every participating village in the exams. He nods his head towards the back of the room. "You see those three in the back? They're Oto-nin. A new village that recently sprang up, so not much is really known about them."

A minute later, the three aforementioned ninja rush towards Kabuto, with one with a metal gauntlet of sorts, swinging at Kabuto. Kabuto manages to dodge, before he is incapacitated from an invisible force, his glasses cracking.

Naruto's ears flatten against his head as he cringes from the high-pitched sound emanating from the Oto-nin's gauntlet. Obito notices, and is about to rush forward, but is stopped by Naruto. _'Relax Obito, I'm fine. The sound was only bad for a moment, but it's fading away.'_

Just then a door opens, and a man strides in followed by a number of Chūnin. "Everyone calm down! You three, who said that you were allowed to fight?" The man shouts.

"Sorry sir, I guess we were just a little bit antsy to get started." The gauntlet wielding ninja says.

"Well settle down. I am Ibiki Morino, the proctor of the first exam; and for the duration of this portion, _your worst nightmare._ " The man says. "Everyone will draw a number that will determine where it is that they will be seated. Then I will begin explaining the rules of the written exam."

Obito tenses. Written exams have never really been his strong point.

After everyone is seated, Ibiki begins speaking once more. "Now then, here are the rules. Rule number one; there is to be no talking during the exam at any time. Rule number two; contrary to normal test scoring, everyone will begin the test with a perfect score. However, every question answered incorrectly will deduct one point. Rule number three; you will be graded as a team. Rule number four; should you be caught cheating, you will have two points deducted from your overall score. Should you get caught five times, you will receive a zero, and will fail. The final rule; should any member of your team receive a zero, then the entire team will fail."

The entire room begins murmuring about the rules until Ibiki silences them. "You will have one hour to answer the two provided questions. However the tenth question will be provided fifteen minutes before the hour is up." Ibiki then watches the clock, and as soon as the second-hand reaches the 12, he shouts, "Begin!"

Naruto flips over the test paper and glances at the questions. He blinks at the increasing difficulty of each consecutive question. _'Whoa… these are some seriously tough questions. I don't think that anyone could answer these under normal circumstances… which I think just may be the point. Let me think… No talking, understandable; perfect score at start, and deducted with each incorrect, odd, but okay; graded as a team, interesting but not an issue; cheating deducts two points versus and automatic fail; and if one person fails, the team fails, a bit unfair, but understandable due to this being a team effort due to the rules. The only unique thing is the rule on cheating, so I'm assuming that the point of this exam is to cheat, and not get caught. That should be easy enough.'_ He thinks, before looking around the room.

Obito examines the questions and hesitates. _'What the hell? Why are these questions so difficult? They can't really expect us to be able to answer these, can they?'_ He thinks, before also looking around the room. He sees a number of people around the room working as well as a number seeming to freak out due to the questions.

Naruto spots Obito and frowns. _'Obito, I think the purpose of this exam is information gathering. I think the point is to force us to cheat, but to do it without actually being obvious that we are doing it, so keep your eye on people close by. Use your_ Sharingan _if you have to.'_ Naruto says to Obito, before activating his own dōjutsu and looking around the room once more. _'Bingo.'_

* * *

After hearing Naruto's explanation, Obito activates his _Sharingan_ and looks around the room, noticing that the person in front of him seems oddly knowledgeable, so he attempts to mimic his pencil movements.

Naruto looks at his own target and focuses more on the _Byakugan_ half of his eyes, seeing the answers on the paper through the body. He then begins to write them down.

After thirty or so minutes, Naruto sighs. _'How are you holding up, Obito?'_

Obito jumps in his seat, having been focused on his work. _'Umm, I'm just mission the first answer, have you gotten it?'_

Naruto explains the answer before resting his head down. _'Fifteen minutes to go…'_ He thinks, entering his mindscape. He stands in an artificial plain under an artificial sun. He looks around for Kurama, but doesn't see him anywhere. He listens intently, but is also unable to hear anything. He then tries sniffing, but is once more, unable to pick up on Kurama.

He sighs, shifting to his fox form, before trying his senses once more, and still coming up with no trace of the Bijū. He shifts back to normal, before sitting and focusing, entering his level two mindscape, the starry surroundings appearing around him. He looks around and focuses his senses, but still doesn't detect Kurama, and this time, his parents either.

"Okay, this is a bit unnerving… where the hell is everyone?" He asks aloud to himself. He then returns to his normal mindscape, and wanders around, just aimlessly walking. He can see across the entire clearing, which is why it's so unnerving. He sighs, before leaving his mindscape altogether, returning to the room and looking at the clock. _'Two minutes…'_

Two minutes later and Ibiki speaks up. "Alright, listen up. I'm about to give the tenth question, but before I do, I have a couple more rules. The first rule is, you are free to choose whether or not to receive the final question."

"And what happens if we choose not to receive it?" Temari asks.

"I was getting to that. If you choose not to receive the tenth question, you will fail, then you and your team will be asked to leave. And you'll be able to try again next year. However… if you choose to receive the tenth question, but answer it incorrectly… then you will fail, and you and your team will be barred from taking the Chūnin exams ever again." Ibiki continues.

The rooms erupts in a cacophony of shouts of unfairness and accusations that he can't do that. "Enough! I wasn't making the rules before, but I am now. So I guess you're just… unlucky." Ibiki says, letting that sink in. "Those of you who don't wish to receive the final question, raise your hands and your number will be noted, then you and your team will be free to leave."

A number of Genin reluctantly raise their hands, apologizing to their teammates as they say they don't want to risk it. After all is said and done, twenty-three teams remain. "Anyone else? This is your last chance." Ibiki announces. _'Heh, tough bunch these Genin. Alrighty then…'_ He then looks to the Chūnin in the room, and they all nod approvingly. "Then I guess all that's left to say is… you all pass!"

Seconds tick by as this announcement sinks in, followed soon by the bombshell dropping. "WHAAAAAAT?!" The room erupts, causing Naruto's ears to immediately flatten as he winces. "Ow…" He groans to himself.

"What do you mean we pass? What was the final question?" Temari shouts?

Ibiki smirks. "There was no final question. Not a written one at least. The final question was to test your resolve, your will to persevere."

"Then what was the point of the rest of the test? Were they just a waste of time?" Temari asks.

"They were designed to test our information gathering skills. They made a bigger fuss over cheating than anything else. I went over the rules at the beginning and that sole rule stood out the most. I'm pretty sure a majority figured out the main purpose. I even admit that I cheated. No normal Genin could answer these questions, so it led me to assume that there were some exceptionally bright apples, or plants; Chūnin that already knew the answers." Naruto explains.

Ibiki examines Naruto. _'So that's Yuu's brat? Easily managed to determine the true purpose of this portion of the test. Shouldn't have expected any less.'_ He then nods. "Precisely. It was to gauge how well you could gather intelligence while under pressure in a strict environment." He says, before removing his hitai-ate, showing off his scars. "There will be times when you are in possession of sensitive information, and you will be tasked with guarding that information, even with your life.

"Chūnin is also the level of ninja that are able to start leading teams, and you will sometimes be tasked with important documents or recon. When you're out in the field, can you just stop and say that you give up and want to go back? No. That's what this exam is about, to test you information gathering skill as well as your resolve to carry out your mission from start to finish." Ibiki explains, replacing his hitai-ate.

"Any other questions?" Ibiki asks. When none are offered, a poof of smoke appears in the room. When it clears, Naruto and Obito stare at the person in surprise. _'So that's how he knew…'_ Naruto thinks.

"Greetings. I am Yuuzuki Tataki, and I will be the proctor for the second portion of the Chūnin exams." Yuu says.

The Konoha Genin all look to Naruto. "The second exam will be held at Training Ground 44. Follow your Jōnin senseis, they'll lead you to the location." Yuu says, before looking at Naruto and Obito, nodding his head, and disappearing in a poof of smoke.

The Genin, minus Naruto and Obito, get up and file out of the room. Obito moves to stand by Naruto. "Did you know that Yuu-sama was going to be one of the proctors?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No, but I think I should have figured it out. He dropped that hint so casually, too. I think we both should have seen this coming." Naruto says, standing, before looking to Obito. "Hey Obito, so you know, there's something going on with my mindscape. I'm unable to connect with Kurama. I can enter it, but he's nowhere to be found, and it's unnerving."

Obito looks to Naruto. "I'm not sure what I could do about that Naruto. I don't really know much about Jinchūriki, Bijū, or fūinjutsu, beside what you and Yuu-sama have explained to me."

"Just thought I would let you know, in case it seems that I'm not all there. Anyways, we should go and meet up with Kakashi." He says, forming a cross-seal. **_"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."_** Two clones appear and one casts a **_henge_** upon itself, disappearing and reappearing as a carbon-copy of Obito. "Head to the second area and do whatever it is that is asked. Try not to cause any issues. Once you go in, head for a secluded area and place down a **_hiraishin_** seal before dispelling." The two clones nod before disappearing in a poof of smoke, but not dispelling.

Naruto then looks to Obito. "Just so you know, this is probably going to be a bit awkward. Remember, while it's only been a couple months for you, it's been around nineteen years for Kakashi-san." Obito nods and Naruto puts a hand on his shoulder, before the two disappear in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Kakashi is standing atop the Academy waiting for Naruto and his friend. He hears the signature pop of a **_shunshin_** and turns to face Naruto, and a face he never thought he'd see again. "O-Obito?" He asks, not believing his eyes.

Obito waves a bit uncomfortably. "Hey Kakashi."

Kakashi stares at Obito, trying to figure out what it is that he's feeling and how to speak again.

Obito just stares back at Kakashi, unsure of what he should say.

A few awkward minutes pass before Kakashi's brain reboots and starts working again. "How are you even alive? You were crushed by a literal ton of boulders. And how are you still twelve?"

Obito looks to Naruto, then back to Kakashi. "About that…" He says trailing off, before beginning to explain the situation to his old teammate. He tells of the mission, Yuu's accidental being there, the explanation of how Yuu saved him, and everything else that he can remember. He recaps how Yuu and Naruto have been helping him with his recovery, and how he's Naruto's teammate for the exams.

Kakashi listens, absorbing the information. When Obito finishes, then he speaks. "So Yuu-san wasn't actually supposed to be there during that mission all those years ago; but because he was, he risked bringing you back to the present…?" He then sighs.

Obito nods. "That about sums it up.

Kakashi then moves to Obito before kneeling in front of him. He stares him in the eye, before, surprising both Genin by hugging Obito.

Obito definitely wasn't expecting the hug, and doesn't really know what he should do. He looks to Naruto, who has turned away.

Kakashi eventually pulls away, standing up and backing away from Obito. It's so good to see you. Sorry for the unexpected hug." He says, scratching the back of his head. "Umm… shouldn't you two be getting back to the exams?"

Naruto nods, and senses for a new formula, but doesn't sense one yet. "We've still got a little time. You two can talk, I need to check up on something real quick." He says, sitting and entering his mindscape. He looks once more, and there's still no sign of Kurama. He growls and raises his shirt to examine the seal. I gradually appears and he examines it… upside down. He traces his fingers over it gently, but doesn't see anything out of the ordinary.

He then sighs and drops his shirt back down, before rubbing his face in frustration. He exits the mindscape and stands, moving over to Kakashi. "Sorry Obito, but this is kind of important. You wouldn't happen to know anyone who specializes in fūinjutsu, would you Kakashi? Ever since the exam started, I've been unable to connect with Kurama or my parents, and I think it may have something to do with my seal."

"The only person I can think of is rarely ever in the village. However, if he is… he's usually found peeping on the female hot springs." Kakashi replies.

Naruto's ears perk up, not due to the new knowledge, but at the knowledge of a new **_hiraishin_** seal appearing. He turns to Obito. "We should go, the clones have set up the marker, they should be dispelling soon."

Obito nods, and Naruto puts a hand on his shoulder before looking to Kakashi. "Keep an eye for this guy, Kakashi-san. I don't feel right without Kurama, especially with the un-predictableness of these exams." He says, before feeling the rush of the returning clones' memories. He and Obito then disappear in a flicker of silver.

Kakashi looks up at the sky. _'Where are you, Jiraiya-sama?'_ He thinks before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Naruto and Obito reappear in a flicker of silver at the spot the clones had marked. Naruto moves to a nearby tree and retrieves a scroll with the kanji for Earth on it. He then goes over the memories of the clones.

"So we have a few days to retrieve a pair of scrolls, one earth and one heaven, and make it to the tower at the center of the area. Forest of Death… fitting name. I've never been here, but I definitely know of it. I can smell a variety of poisonous plants, as well as edible ones. I'm also sure there are a multitude of animals to hunt as well… but judging by the sounds, they're going to be large. Only two rules, don't look at the scroll, and don't die; sounds simple enough."

Naruto then forms a few hand-seals, bites his thumb, and then plants it to the ground. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_** A massive cloud of smoke appears, then clears, revealing six larger than normal foxes. "Ohayō, Naruto-sama, what is it that you need?" Kujo asks.

"I want you all to split up and scout the area. If you encounter and other teams, do not engage. See if you can determine what version of scroll they have. We have an Earth Scroll, and we need a Heaven Scroll. After scouting, return to me, successful or not. Ten minutes, now scatter." Naruto says.

The six Kitsunes all dart off in different directions. Naruto summons once more, a fox the size of an adult jaguar appearing. "Kurei, can you see if you can make any contact with Kurama? Because for some reason, I am unable to."

Kurei closes her eyes and focuses. A few moments later, they reopen. "Gomen, Naruto-sama. I'm unable to detect Kurama-sama at all."

"That's what I feared you would say… I guess there's only one option left, and that's to have a fūinjutsu master examine my seal… great." Naruto says, sighing. He pats Kurei on the head, then she vanishes in a poof of smoke.

Naruto and Obito take a seat on a nearby log; Naruto lost in thought, and Obito examining their surroundings. Eight minutes later, the Kitsunes return. Naruto looks up at the foxes; four of them shake their heads, either Earth Scrolls or no luck. "Kunami? Kujo? What about you two?"

"Tracking isn't exactly my specialty, but I did find a team with a Heaven Scroll. They bare the same hitai-ate as you though." Kunami says.

"I also found a team with a Heaven Scroll. It was a Tsuchi team if I remember my nations and their symbols correctly." Kujo says.

Naruto nods. "You five may go, Kujo, you stay." The five dismissed Kitsunes bow, before disappearing.

Kujo notices that Naruto seems a bit down. "What seems to be the matter, Naruto-sama?"

"Nothing worth worrying about, Kujo." Naruto says, standing, followed by Obito. "Which way is it to that Tsuchi team?"

"North, about three-hundred yards or so." Kujo replies.

Naruto nods. "You can tag along if you wish Kujo." He says, before beginning to head north. They eventually come to a small clearing. Naruto sniffs the air, his ears twitching, listening for any sounds. "Kujo was right, they've been through here. They're moving east, judging by their scent."

The trio continues their trek, following the earthy scent of the Tsuchi-nin. Eventually Naruto halts, signaling to his companions to hold their position. He motions ahead, and points out the Tsuchi-nin. He reaches into one of his pouches and quietly draws out his weapon of choice, senbon needles. He poises, taking aim, carefully adjusting to make sure they fly true, then launches them. They soar silently through the air and embed themselves in the backs to two of the Tsuchi-nin's necks.

The two ninja drop to the ground with the third whirling around just in time to be tackled by a large, red blur, followed by a black blur. He's slammed into the ground, then feels a sharp object placed to his throat. "Which one of you has the scroll?" Naruto asks.

The Tsuchi-nin says nothing, instead, choosing to spit on Naruto's face. Naruto flinches, before grabbing and slamming the ninja's head into the ground knocking him out. "I guess we do this the hard way…" He and Obito then search the ninjas, but come up empty-handed.

Kujo moves to the third ninja and examines him. "Naruto-sama, come look at this one's neck."

Naruto moves to and examines the third Tsuchi-nin's neck. "Sneaky. He hid it within a seal. No matter…" He pulls out a brush and ink, before carefully adding a few new strokes to the seal. He puts the tools away and touches the seal. A poof of smoke later, and – fortunately – a Heaven Scroll is in hand. "See? Piece of cake. I may not be a fūinjutsu master, but I still know a few tricks here and there."

Kujo then bows, before vanishing. Naruto seals the two scrolls away, before jumping and climbing up a tree, attempting to discern what direction leads to the tower. He reaches the top and looks around, spotting the tower… back in the direction they came. Naruto descends and drops next to Obito. "The tower is to the west, back the way we came."

He then pulls out his ninjato and holds it pommel up, by the sheath. He touches a nearly invisible seal, and the black pommel covering fades, revealing a very small compass. He lines up the direction appropriately, and then the duo start their trek west.

* * *

At another area of Konoha, if passing by the hot-springs, a man can be seen trying to peek in on the bathing females for… 'inspirational purposes'.

Kakashi happens to be strolling by, reading his normal Icha-Icha Paradise book when he hears giggling. _'Looks like I managed to find him._ He thinks, closing and pocketing his book, before heading in the general direction of the giggles, locating exactly who it is that he has been looking for.

He moves to and stands behind the man, counts to five, the kicks the man in the rump, causing him to face-plant into the walls of the hot spring, scaring away the women with a loud, 'Pervert!' being heard.

The man recovers, standing up and whirling around to face a cross-armed Kakashi. "Hey! What's the big idea scaring away all the babes? Can't a man do a little bit of studying in peace?"

Kakashi blinks, then sighs. "You know Jiraiya-sama… now really isn't the time for you to be trying to catch a peek of some women bosom."

Jiraiya scoffs. "And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do in my free-time, Kakashi?"

"How about one of the people who helped train _your_ godson for the last six years. Your godson's eleventh birthday just passed a couple months ago, and you've never even met the kid."

Jiraiya blinks. "As if I have time to be dealing with some snot-nosed brat. I have more important things to attend to." He says and turns to leave.

Kakashi steps towards and grabs Jiraiya by the shoulder. "That 'snot-nosed brat' is your _godson_ , and Minato-sensei's son. He's never know that he's even had someone whom he could call true family, and he still doesn't. The only family he really know is his adoptive father. How can you just act like you don't care?"

Jiraiya turns to face Kakashi. "Because he isn't my concern. I'm here for research and pretty girls and sake."

Kakashi takes a breath. "You know Jiraiya, I used to actually look up to you. But now… I'm not so sure. How can I appreciate anything that you do, if you won't even take into consideration that the kid is your family?" He asks, prodding Jiraiya in the chest for emphasis. "Fine. If you won't listen about familial concerns, then how about something a little more… interesting then? How about the fact that the seal for the Kyūbi seems to be acting up, and that _you_ are the only person in the entire nations with enough fūinjutsu knowledge to examine a seal of that caliber?"

"There's an issue with the Kyūbi's seal? Hmm, that could really cause a problem if left unchecked." Jiraiya says, causing Kakashi to sweat-drop at the fact that _now_ Jiraiya is interested. "So where is he now, then?"

* * *

Obito and Naruto continue west, and have been for the past thirty minutes. Naruto keeps an eye on the compass, making sure that they stay on path, while Obito focuses on keeping watch on their surroundings.

Naruto's ears twitch and he stops, sniffing the air. "Hold on a moment, Obito." He says quietly, drawing a kunai and eying the surrounding undergrowth. He spots a bush rustle and readies his arm. He inhales then exhales, before hurling the kunai. A small 'shtick' can be heard before bush stops moving.

Naruto moves to the bush and looks beyond it, eyes widening. _'Dayyum... That is one big ass rabbit.'_ He thinks, looking at the collapsed form of the rabbit that is even bigger than he is. He spots a tuft if red, right where the heart should be. _'Talk about a lucky throw. That was a blind throw since I was block by the bush.'_

Obito moves to Naruto and his jaw drops. "What the hell…? That ain't no rabbit. That's a monster rabbit. How did you know that it was there?" He asks, before remembering Naruto's enhanced senses. "Oh… right. So, are you going to cook it and seal the remains?"

Naruto nods. "If we're going to be out here for a few days, at least we won't go hungry. Although… this rabbit will likely last almost two weeks if it's just the two if us." He says, unsealing a scroll from a chest seal. It has the kanji 狩り (Kari), Hunting on it. He opens the scroll and a fairly clean, yet obviously used rag appears. Naruto then begins the process of de-limbing the beast of a rabbit, sealing the paws, haunches, head, and body into separate seals. He wipes his hands and ninjato off on the rag, before sealing the rag as well. He then rolls the scroll up, standing, before resealing it as well.

"We should keep moving, try and find a river and set up camp." Naruto says, looking up at the darkening sky through the treetops. Obito nods, and the two head out once more. They follow Naruto's nose, this time, him following the faint, but clean scent of running water. Twenty minutes later, the duo exits the tree-line and comes to a clearing cut all the way through the tree-lines, a river flowing through the center.

He looks around and sees that they're not the only team currently there. He spots team seven about a hundred yards downstream. He nudges Obito and points, before they begin heading towards the other Konoha team.

* * *

Sai is the first to notice Naruto and Obito heading towards them, his Chōjū Giga snakes having let him know ahead of time. He motions to Sakura and Sasuke, nodding his head towards the approaching duo. They tense up, not sure of the approaching duo's intentions. They may be from the same village, but right now, all other teams are to be considered threats.

Sai pulls out his scroll and brush and begins quickly painting. **_"_** ** _Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Tomoe Shishi."_** Three lions made of ink appear, standing between team seven and the duo.

* * *

Naruto halts and stops Obito as Sai's ink lions appear. He raises his hands in surrender. "We don't want to fight." He calls out. "You guys look like you could use a hand setting up camp for the night."

Sakura and Sasuke look at eachother then back to the duo. "And how do we know that this isn't some elaborate ploy, so that you can acquire our scroll?" Sakura calls back.

Naruto unseals his and Obito's scrolls, holding them both in plain sight. "Because we've already got both the scrolls that we need. We were coming to the river to set up camp ourselves, when we noticed you three." He calls back, resealing the scrolls.

* * *

Team seven all look at eachother. "Well, they don't seem to be after our scroll; that much seems certain." Sakura says.

"But it could be a fake. We should still remain on guard. Besides, if it is fake, they don't know which scroll we have." Sasuke says.

"True, not to mention Naruto doesn't seem the kind of person to backstab a fellow Konoha-nin, even if it is part of the exam." Sakura says.

"So what do we do? Play it safe and turn them away, or take a risk and work together?" Sasuke asks, more to himself than to his team.

* * *

Naruto and Obito watch as team seven discuss what they should do. "I understand why they're being cautious. This _is_ a survival mission after all. They're hesitant because they think that we might betray them and steal their scroll."

"But why? We showed them that we already have both scrolls already." Obito says.

"That may be true. But for all they know, it could be a fake scroll **_henge'd_** to look like a real one, and that we'll try to take theirs when they least expect it."

* * *

"I say that we let them help. The worst that could happen is that they attack us and steal our scroll – although I believe that is unlikely. The best is that they help us get our second scroll, as well as help defend us while we do so, which I believe to be a more probable outcome." Sai says.

Sakura and Sasuke look to Sai, staring at him. A minute passes, and a chorus of rumbles can be heard. The trio sigh. "Fine… just remain alert." Sasuke says.

Sai's paint lions collapse into puddles of ink, and he beckons the duo over.

When Naruto nears, he looks around, before turning to Sai. "Could I possibly borrow a brush and ink for a moment?"

Sai nods, passing the items to Naruto who then walks a few paces from the in-development fire pit, before kneeling and painting a seal on a rock. He walks around the pit, stopping only to kneel and paint a quick seal. When Naruto returns the borrowed tools back to Sai, eight seal have been made. He focuses on the seals, pulsing his chakra, causing the seals to slash red, before fading.

"What was that?" Sakura asks.

"Those were camouflage seals, that when activated, will hide anything within the seal-array. Everything within the seal array is invisible to any passerbys. The riverside will seem completely untouched." Naruto explains. "It took a while to properly learn the right sequence of seals, and I only use it out in the open, like right now. Although, the array won't protect us from the elements."

Naruto then unseals the scroll with the rabbit. "So who's hungry?" He asks, holding the scroll up. He kneels and opens the scroll, and pumps chakra into it, the giant rabbit appearing, making team seven stare in awe.

"That… is a big rabbit." Sakura says. "By why is it as cut up as it already is?"

"I cut it into pieces for easier storage. The haunches in my opinion are the best tasting part of rabbit. The body is the real prize though. Rabbit pelts can sell for highly up there, especially when there's a fair amount of it, it's also where the most meat is… if you are willing to properly prepare it." Naruto replies, drawing a kunai.

He begins the process of skinning the rabbit, expertly removing the pelt from the flesh. "Someone needs to make a fire while I finish preparing this." He says. While the others focus on finishing the setting up of the camp, Naruto focuses on doing a clean skinning. We wants the pelt for part of a gift idea.

Forty minutes later Naruto stands, stretching. The sun is almost set, and nearby the fire pit is finished, a decent sized fire crackling away, illuminating the inside area of the seals, but not an inch further. He pulls out another scroll again, kneeling once more. Opening the scroll, he unseals another scroll and a box. He then proceeds to slice open the rabbit after unrolling the new scroll, and placing the innards onto the seals.

Once the rabbit is gutted, Naruto hauls the rabbit over to the river, leaving the ring to wash it. He places the haunches inside for easier handling. Once washed, he returns to the ring, and begins the process of spicing it with the spices from the box.

He has Obito and Sasuke gather some sturdy sticks and wet them in the river. He finishes seasoning and seals everything up once again. "How did you get so good at skinning and preparing game?" Sakura asks.

Naruto looks at Sakura, then back to the rabbit. Obito and Sasuke hand him the sticks, and he spears them through the rabbit. "Let's just say that where I trained for the last year has its ways of teaching you things. I learned a lot while I was there, this included." He says as he places the meat near the fire to cook. "And now we wait. It'll need to be watched though, so that it doesn't burn and that it cooks evenly."

For the next two hours, the quintet talk quietly, with Naruto keeping an eye on the cooking rabbit. Eventually Naruto deems it ready. "So who gets what? Since you prepared it, it's only fair that you get first choice." Sakura says.

"Like I said earlier, the haunches are the best part, so I'm taking one of them. Obito is my teammate, so he'll be getting second choice, followed by Sakura. Sasuke and Sai can choose who goes fourth and fifth respectively." Naruto replies, taking a haunch. Obito eyes, the second haunch, but instead takes some of the breast meat. Sakura also mimics Obito. Sai goes fourth and snatches up the second haunch, leaving Sasuke to grab meat from the body. By the time the group finishes eating, barely even a quarter of the rabbit has been consumed.

"That was really good, but soooo… full. I feel like I'm going to pop." Sakura says. The other Konoha-nin all nod in agreement, minus Naruto, who only chuckles. "I'll take that as a compliment. It's been a while since I've had a fire pit-barbeque. Nīchan always prepares the meals, so I never get a chance to do things like this."

"Speaking of your brother, he seems pretty cool, although fairly laid-back, almost like Kakashi-sensei." Sakura says.

"He is. But… he can be a real slave driver when he wants to. I respect him greatly, which is why I changed my last name to Tataki and my features to more resemble his. But know this, he's not a pushover. He can easily beat most of Konoha's Jōnin one-on-one." Naruto says, lying. He knows that Yuu could easily take on most of the Jōnin in the village at the same time and come out on top, barring a few, like Gai.

"There's no way that is true." Sakura says, skeptical. "I bet Kakashi-sensei could handle your brother easily."

"Maybe in a pure ninjutsu or genjutsu match. But allow nīchan to use taijutsu and/or kenjutsu, it's highly unlikely. I've even seem them spar, and I've never seen nīchan lose a battle with Kakashi-san." Naruto replies.

Obito wants to speak up about Naruto and Yuu's match, but holds his tongue. "I can believe that Naruto. From the way Yuu-sense carries himself, he kind of reminds me of that other Genin, Lee, on team nine." Sai says. "Actually, you do as well. You move with a grace that easily touts about your rigorous workout regimens."

Naruto nods. "I do have a pretty tough regimen, same as nīchan. I actually spar quite often with him too, it helps us both improve."

After that, the quintet sit in silence, listening to the cracks and pops of the fire while they think about numerous things. Naruto once again enters his mindscapes, and once again, there is no sign of Kurama or his parents. He leaves them, sighing. He unseals a book, bound with a very soft leather and sets it down. He also unseals a scroll, before sealing the rabbit pelts then resealing the scroll. He picks the book back up and turns at an angle, the light from the fire pit shining on the book. He opens it and begins flipping through the pages.

Obito and Sasuke talk, with Sasuke asking Obito some difficult to answer questions. Sai draws in the faint light. Sakura moves to Naruto and looks at the book, upside down. "What are you reading?"

"I'm not reading, so much as I am browsing. This is a journal of herbs, some common, some very rare." Naruto replies. "Most of these, you won't recognize though, since they're not exactly native to the nations."

"Like what?"

Naruto flips through the pages, and turns the book for Sakura to more easily see. "This is one of my favorites, but I have yet to encounter it; Heavenblossom. It's used to help purify the mind and help them comprehend more difficult scenarios more easily. You could say that it is a drug, and technically, it is. It's my favorite because of what it looks like."

Sakura looks at the page, squinting in the dim light. "It looks like an animal head. A wolf perhaps?"

Naruto shakes his head. "Actually, it's more akin to a fox. It's said to be able to perform all sorts of miracles to those whom are blessed by the Vulpines." He says. _'Though, I do occasionally wonder what it would do to me, since I'm now a partial Kitsune.'_ He thinks to himself.

"That's cool, I guess. Is the herb feathershade in there? I've heard that it can make any wish come true… if it can even be acquired that is."

Naruto flips through the book, and comes to a plant, purple-black in color, shaped like the feathers of a crow. He blinks as he examines the page. "This is poisonous to humans though, Sakura. I'm not even sure that my immunity could withstand such a toxic plant. The toxicity is so virulent it's almost like acid, meaning it can't even be handled without proper handling procedures."

Sakura glances at the book. "Well, it's supposed to be burned, not ingested, and are supposed to wish upon it as it burns."

"Even so, just acquiring one would be extremely difficult. It would burn a hole in your skin, just coming into contact with it. And burning anything _that_ toxic can be fatal. Inhaling the fumes would be almost as bad as ingesting it, eroding your body from the inside out. This is an extremely dangerous herb, though it would sell for a fortune and a half to alchemists and poison brewers."

Sakura sighs. "That's a shame. I really had my mind set to possibly burn one, one day."

After that, the quintet start readying up to sleep for the night. Naruto pulls a scroll from a pouch and unrolls it. "I've got three bedrolls and a tent, meaning two people will have to share the tent."

Team seven immediately all grab a roll, not wanting to possibly share the tent with eachother while Naruto is busy setting up the tent. When finished he turns and scoffs, seeing that all three rolls have been claimed by team seven. He crawls into the tent and touches a seal, causing two blankets appear. Obito crawls in soon after, zipping up the tent afterwards. The duo get as comfortable as the can, wrapping up in their own individual blankets.

Twenty minutes later, the camp is fully asleep; team seven rolled up near the fire, and Naruto and Obito curled up in blankets inside the tent.

* * *

 **Fūton: Kūshō:** Wind Release: Vacuum Palm (This attack is very similar to the _Jyūken_ technique, the **_Hakke Kūshō_** _(Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm)_ , which is the technique that Zetsu-Hinata uses during the Great Ninja War when battling one of Shino's **_Mushi Bunshin_** _(Insect Clone)_ )

 **Fūin-bijon:** Sealing Visions (The technique that Naruto uses to gather knowledge on any seals that are within the Uzumaki Scroll that his parents had left him, which he acquired in Chapter 4)

 **Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Makimono no Uzumaki:** Summoning Technique: Scroll of Uzumaki


	14. Chūnin Exams and More - Part 2

The ANBU Shadows

* * *

Chapter 8 – Part 2

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

* * *

When Obito wakes the next morning, he doesn't see Naruto. He stretches out, causing his feet to nudge a lump in the blankets. He pulls back the blankets and buried under them is a silver-furred fox, its tailed wrapped around its curled up form. He stares at it, before moving to gently stroking its back, eliciting a small rumble under his touch.

Naruto wakes up warm with a hand stroking his back… wait, what? His eyes flash open and he quickly jumps to his feet, looking down to where his hands should be, seeing paws instead. "Why the hell did I end up shifting in my sleep?" He asks aloud, before noticing Obito staring at him.

"Naruto?"

Naruto sighs. _'Oh boy…'_ He thinks. "Uh… yeah. I know this seems a bit strange, but I told you a bit about this the other day. This is what I look like when I completely shift. But right now, for some reason, I'm unable to shift back. I can still access my chakra – which is good to know – but I'm stuck like this." He says, his ears drooping.

Obito stares at Naruto, unsure of what he can really do. "What should we do about team seven?"

Naruto's eyes widen. "Crap, I forgot about them. I'm… not sure. I think the only way is to tell them though. I'm unable to seal things due to a lack of fingers, so you'll have to be the one to do it. The scroll for the tent and bedrolls should be somewhere under the blankets. There's also a seal for the blankets. The hand-seal is the half-tiger as you touch the drawn seal."

Obito nods, folding up the blankets, before sealing them away. He opens the tent and peeks out, seeing team seven already up and about, their bedrolls already packed and by the tent. He takes a breath before pulling himself out.

Sai hears the tent rustle and turns to see Obito emerging. "Morning, Obito. Is Naruto awake yet?" Sakura and Sasuke turn when they hear their teammate speak.

Obito nods, before looking to the tent then back to Sai. "Yeah, he's awake, but…" He says, trailing, before sighing. "…there's something that you should see."

As soon as those words are said, Naruto hesitantly slips out of the tent.

Team seven stares at the silver fox that emerged from the tent. "Cute!" Sakura cries, before beginning to move towards Naruto.

Naruto immediately backpedals away, not wanting to risk being picked up by Sakura. Obito steps in front of her, blocking her path. "Don't touch him Sakura. It's not a summon or a normal fox, it's… actually Naruto."

Sakura stares at Obito like he's nuts. "Are you okay, Obito? Cause that looks like a normal, albeit _silver-furred_ fox to me."

Naruto pads closer to Obito. "No, he's correct Sakura."

Sakura looks to the fox-shift in surprise. "Naruto, is that you? Stop playing around, and drop the **_henge_**." She says, and when he doesn't, she tries dispelling it herself as she would a genjutsu, but fails, as Naruto remains as a fox.

"It's not a **_henge_** , it's a shape-shift. I can change between a human and a fox, but right now, I'm currently stuck like this, unable to shift back to normal. I woke up like this, having shifted in the middle of the night."

Obito goes and seals the bedrolls, before proceeding to break down the tent. "So what are you going to do?" She asks, as Sai and Sasuke move towards her before kneeling, pulling Sakura down with them.

"I'm hoping that Kakashi-san found this seal master that he's told me about. I think a seal that I made is acting up and is messing with my chakra." Naruto says, bending the truth a little bit… okay, maybe a lot. "We were planning on helping you, but right now, me returning to normal is more important, and it needs to be done within four days. Obito and I will be leaving you three once he finishes packing up, and we'll be heading straight for the tower. You guys can keep the rabbit, it may come in handy."

Obito finishes packing up the tent and seals it. "Ready to go, Naruto." He says, pocketing the scroll. Naruto moves to stand next to his teammate.

Team seven stands. "So, I guess we'll see you around then?" Sakura asks.

Naruto nods. "Be careful. There are still four days left in this thing. And there are at least thirteen teams still out there. Tread lightly and quickly, move smart, and trust your gut." He says, before the duo turn and dart off, following the river downstream.

"So what now?" Sakura asks.

"We get another scroll, head to the tower, and we finish this damn exam." Sasuke replies.

* * *

Naruto and Obito follow the river at a brisk pace, making a beeline straight for the tower at the center of the forest. About an hour later, the tower becomes visible. "Almost there Naruto." Obito says, currently being the taller of the two, having spotted the tower over the trees.

Naruto nods, and the two up their pace. About thirty minutes later they arrive at the base of the tower. They head to the first door they find, breaking the seal and entering. Naruto searches for the seal containing the scrolls, before remembering that it was just below his shoulder… somewhere he can't currently reach, so he turns to Obito.

"Well ain't this a pickle…? I can't access the scrolls, and the particular seal is likely too complex for you to brute force break. Which mean, we're in a bind. Whenever I shift, my gear enters into a seal that appears on my body, which fades as I return to normal. My fūin pouch is sealed with my gear, which is located on my hind-right leg near the joint. You might be able to overload it if you heavily pulse your chakra into it since it's not one of my stronger seals. This one is more-or-less the same as a sealing scroll, just tweaked a little bit."

Obito nods, and kneels next to Naruto's right side. He finds the seal, black under silver, and places a finger to it. He pulses a large amount of chakra into it, and it collapses, a poof of smoke appearing around Naruto. When it clear, Naruto is buried under his clothing and gear.

Obito scoffs, and helps fee Naruto from the tangle of clothes, noticing that other than the vest, they're fairly heavy. "Why are your clothes as heavy as they are?"

"Because they're weighted. Now that my gear has been unsealed, you'll need to grab the pre-drawn seal from with my fūin pouch. Lay them out in front of me, and I'll tell you which one you need."

Obito begins looking through the pouches until he finds the correct one, and pulls out the premade seals, laying them out in front of Naruto, replacing the blank ones to the pouch. Naruto examines the seals. "Damn… I don't fully remember. I'm pretty sure it's the fourth one though."

Obito picks up the seal, and replaces the rest in the pouch. "Now what?"

"Place it on the seal on my left fore-leg and channel your chakra into it. It's a reformation seal, and it'll temporarily change it into a seal similar to the one you just broke." Naruto replies.

Obito nods, and does as he was instructed. The initial seal changes and he repeats what he had done for the first seal, breaking it and releasing the two required scrolls, which roll across the floor. "Now what?" He asks, as he picks the scrolls up.

Naruto goes over his memories of the clones from the start of the exam, but comes up blank. "I'm not sure, I think that maybe we open them now."

Obito nods, kneeling, and opening the scroll on the floor. Naruto immediately recognizes the writing as it's a low level fūinjutsu seal. "That's a dual-layer summoning array, it uses two seal halves to successfully work. Quickly, open the other seal." Obito does so, and drops the scroll on top of the first one. At first it only smokes, before erupting in a cloud of smoke, revealing two people.

"Kakashi? What are you doing here?" Obito asks.

"Doing what I can in order to help Naruto… where is he?" Kakashi asks, looking around, but not down.

"Down here, Kakashi-san." Naruto says

Kakashi and Jiraiya both snap their heads down to look at Naruto, and stare. "Naruto? What the hell happened to you?" Kakashi asks.

"Long story short. Kurama taught me how to use my chakra to shape-shift. Last night I went to bed normal, and woke up shifted. Now I can't shift back to normal, not can I even contact him in order to ask him why I can't change back."

Kakashi then looks to Jiraiya, then back to Naruto. "Naruto, this is Jiraiya. He's the fūinjutsu master that I told you about. He's here to check on your seal."

Jiraiya moves to and kneels by Naruto. "Do you know where your seal is located at the moment, kid?"

"When I'm human, it's on my gut, but as a Kitsune, things tend to be moved around, so it could still be on my gut, or even my back."

Jiraiya nods, and prods at Naruto's back, but nothing happens. He motions to Naruto to lie on his side, then checks his stomach, a black seal fading into view. He examines it through the fine fur. _'Interesting. It definitely seems to be a seal issue, but how to mend it is the problem. Around the main seal – the spiral – are eight branches, four above and four below… or there should be. There are currently seven branches, which is likely affecting his connection to the Kyūbi.'_

Jiraiya allows Naruto to roll back onto his stomach. "There's definitely an issue with your seal, kid. Have you tampered with the seal in any way, like tried to make modifications to it at all?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No. I've been learning fūinjutsu, and am somewhat skilled in it, but I've never messed with Kurama's seal."

Jiraiya's mouth presses into together, followed by the sound of a 'hmm'. "I really don't know. I'll have to look into it." He then stands and turns to Kakashi. "How many days does this portion of the exam last?"

Kakashi hold up a hand, fingers splayed. "Five, and it's been a day and almost a half. There's about another three and a half left."

Jiraiya sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. "That's not a lot of room to work with. I'll see if I can't come up with anything. I have an idea, but I don't know if it'll work. I need to run some tests." He the turns to look down at Naruto. "You're going to be stuck like that for a little while, so try not to draw too much unwanted attention to yourself, okay?"

Naruto nods, his ear drooping slightly. Jiraiya then vanishes in a poof of smoke. "Well… this is a bit of an interesting situation." Kakashi says. "But yea… try not to get in to much trouble you two. I'll go speak with the Hokage, and see if we can possibly move some things around in the exams… just don't expect too much to happen."

Naruto and Obito nod, before Kakashi disappears as well. Obito picks up Naruto's gear, and the duo make their way to the back of the room, walk through a door, and officially enter the tower. Naruto immediately smells sand and blood lingering in the air. "We're not the first team to arrive Obito. I'm pretty sure the Suna-nin have been here a while. I smell Gaara's scent and it's heavy in the air." Naruto says quietly.

Obito nods and they continue their way deeper into the tower. As they walk, they end up passing by the room that is currently bedding the Suna-nin. Obito and Naruto look in while the Suna-nin look out, Gaara focused on Naruto.

The duo continue past and make their way to a room before entering it. Obito heads to the couch and dumps Naruto clothes and gear onto one of the cushions, before sitting down. Naruto jumps up and curls up, placing his head on his paws. "This sucks. I like being able change into a fox and all, but I don't like being stuck as one. I want to change back to normal." Naruto says quietly, his ears drooping.

Obito looks to Naruto. "I'm sure Jiraiya-sama will do everything he can to help you, Naruto. I mean you're pretty cool as a fox, but I agree, you're better normal." He says, reaching over and petting Naruto's head. But with him be being to down, doesn't react in the least.

* * *

Jiraiya goes through a series of hand-seals, before biting his thumb. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_** He says, planting his hand to the ground. And elongated toad appear. "What do you need, Jiraiya?" It asks.

"Gamatora, I need to see the key to Naruto's seal. His seal is missing an entire branch from its structure." **_(A/N: This toad's name is also known as Gerotora, but I'm going to stick with Gamatora, since almost all of the toads have Gama- as the first parts of their names, barring a few.)_**

Gamatora nods, and his scroll-like body unrolls. Jiraiya examines the scroll and sighs. "As I thought… The branch that's missing in the one that controls Naruto's interactions with the Kyūbi. The missing branch seal is messing with anything that he may have leaned via the Kyūbi, namely jutsus."

"So… the seal is deteriorating?" Gamatora asks.

"In a way. The seal – despite being the most sophisticated and advanced one around – can in reality only handle so much. The only one better that I can think of would be the **_Kami no Shinseina Rokujū_** (Divine Sixteen Heavenly Realms) Seal, but no one has been able to use that since the Sage of Six Paths' time." Jiraiya says. "To be honest, I don't know how to repair it. The best I can do is put a balance around it, so that it doesn't possibly get any worse, but that doesn't help the fact that he's currently stuck as a fox."

"Wait… did you say that Naruto is currently a fox? That's a Kitsune technique. Only a Kitsune can teach someone to shift." Gamatora says.

"Shift… Yea, he did call it shifting. What do you know about the Kitsunes?"

"Not a whole lot. They very rarely ever let their contract be signed. Ma' or Pa' might be able to help you out more with that."

"Then have Fukasaku summon me or have him allow me to summon him, I need to talk to him." Jiraiya says, before Gamatora disappears in a poof of smoke. _'Well this is interesting. I didn't think that Naruto would already have a summoning contract, let alone know a rare contract skill.'_ He thinks, before vanishing.

He reappears in a poof of smoke in a clearing surrounded by giant stone toads. Standing near his ankles is an elderly toad. "Jiraiya, m'boy, you wanted me to summon ya?" The toad asks, with Gamatora hovering nearby.

Jiraiya looks down before nodding then kneeling. "Hai, Fukasaku-sama. Naruto's seal seems to be acting up, and I recently found out that he may have signed the Kitsune summoning contract. I was wondering if you possibly might know a way to contact one of them."

"The Kitsunes, huh? I thought that their contract was lost. Well, I do know one of the Kitsunes, but… we don't get along very well. I could try calling in a favor, but I don't know if it would do any good."

"Tell the Kitsune that their summoner, Naruto, is stuck in his shifted form, and that he has no contact with the Kyūbi." Jiraiya says.

"I will try, but I make no promises, Jiraiya m'boy." Fukasaku says before hopping away, leaving Jiraiya and Gamatora.

"Sorry that I can't be of more assistance Jiraiya." Gamatora says.

Jiraiya shakes his head. "No, there's nothing that you should be apologizing for. Something is up with Naruto's seal, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

Jiraiya sits and meditates while he waits for Fukasaku. Thirty minutes later, the toad returns. "I sent a message to Kusachi. Either they'll reply or they'll go straight to Naruto." Fukasaku says.

Jiraiya nods, and returns to meditating. Fifteen minutes later, a poof of smoke appears, revealing a fair-sized, crimson fox. The fox looks from Jiraiya, to Gamatora, to Fukasaku. "So which of you three is Fukasaku?" Kujo asks.

"That would be me, young Kitsune." The elderly toad says.

Kujo turns to Fukasaku. "Kusachi-sama told me little of the situation. He just sent me here."

"Apparently Naruto is having troubles with the seal that holds the Kyūbi. It is currently missing part of its structure and is preventing him from contacting the Kyūbi. It is also preventing him from utilizing his chakra properly. He is currently stuck in the shape of a fox, which we've come to believe is due a Kitsune technique called shifting." Jiraiya explains.

Kujo turns to look at Jiraiya, blinking. "And who are you?"

"I am Jiraiya, the toad-sage of Mt. Myōboku, one of the three legendary Sannin. I am also currently the most knowledgeable being in the nations when it comes to fūinjutsu…" Jiraiya says trailing off, before taking a breath and sighing, "as well as Naruto's godfather." He says quieter than before.

Kujo stares at Jiraiya. "If you are his godfather, then why weren't you there for him as he was growing up? Why weren't you there to protect him, teach him, and help him grow? Do you know what kind of hell he went through growing up? Do you know how he had to survive on his own for _six years?_ You don't deserve that honor in my opinion.

"But… that is not the pressing issue as of this moment. Naruto-sama's condition is. We can easily turn him back to normal, although temporarily; but his seal is your problem. And his shift-condition will remain an issue until he has control over his chakra once more. The Kitsunes have no need for fūinjutsu, so we know next to nothing about it, besides the basics." Kujo finishes.

Jiraiya nods, a little hurt and regret written on his face. "I understand… Naruto's condition is more important, I agree. If you can change him back, do so. He needs to be in his human form for the exams. I will also do what I can in order to repair his seal."

Kujo nods, before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"I should be there for when Naruto returns to normal. If I'm correct, he probably also has access to the Uzumaki's fūinjutsu scroll, and I may need it in order to repair his seal." Jiraiya says, standing.

Fukasaku nods, before forming a few seals causing Jiraiya to disappear in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Naruto opens his eyes and stands, stretching. He and Obito have been sitting in the same spot for the past few hours, to the point they both fell asleep. Obito is still napping, so Naruto hops from the couch and exits the room, before beginning to explore. He pads down the seemingly endless number of halls, glancing into rooms as he passes.

He knows that the Suna team is in the tower, so he tries to see if any others have arrived yet as well. He wanders for about an hour, but doesn't come upon any other teams. The Suna-nin, Obito and he are the only ones he's seen in the building. He makes his way back to his and Obito's room. When he returns, Obito is now completely sprawled out on the couch. He jumps up onto one of the chairs and lays down.

A few minutes late a poof of smoke appears in the room. When it clears, Kurei becomes visible. Kurei looks around before finally spotting Naruto. "Naruto-sama." She says, dropping something in order to speak. "This is from one of the Elders. It should help with your current predicament. Just know it'll only last a few hours – I think four if I remember correct. There are three helpings."

Naruto raises his head to look at Kurei, before jumping down and sniffing the container. "Smells like salmon. Thanks Kurei, be sure to thank whoever it was that prepared this for me. And possibly see if they could maybe make a second batch as backup."

Kurei nods. "Hai, Naruto-sama. "She says, but doesn't leave. "You know… you look good as a Kitsune. Silver fur is actually a sign of royalty. Just thought I'd let you know." She says before rubbing her head against Naruto's in a sign of respect. "Ato de aimashō (See you later)." She says, before disappearing.

Naruto blinks, before shaking his head and sniffing the object Kurei had brought once more and sighs. He grabs it in his jaws, moving to the chair and jumping up, before setting it down and curling up, nodding off once more.

 ** _===A Few Hours Later===_**

Naruto opens his eyes, standing and stretching, before yawning. He looks to Obito and see him pretty much falling off the couch. He jumps down and moves over to the couch, before jumping up and landing on Obito's gut, scaring him awake, and sending him tumbling onto the floor causing Naruto to have to jump for safety.

Obito looks around, eye darting to-and-fro, before he starts to calm down. He spots a lump of silver on the couch where he had been a moment before and glares at it. "What was that for, Naruto?"

"You've been asleep for almost six hours. I think we should go and grab some food. I had a gift brought to me a little while ago. Can you grab me once of the cups near the sink?" Naruto asks.

Obito nods, though raising a brow, before climbing to his feet and stretching. He then goes and grabs a cup, before returning to Naruto.

Naruto heads to the chair and grabs the object Kurei brought him. _'I still don't understand how they were able to put the cap on this damn thing. I mean really… foxes don't even have thumbs.'_ He thinks as he carries the object to Obito and places it at his feet. "Pour some of that into the cup for me. Kurei told me there should be about three helpings."

Obito looks down and grabs the object, noting that it's a thermos. He looks at Naruto quizzically, before shrugging. He opens it, pours some into a cup, and places the cup in front of Naruto. "You may, uhh, want to close the screening to the room. If what Kurei said is true, I'll return to normal for about four hours, however, since my gear seal is gone, it means that I'll need to get dressed. I doubt anyone will walk by, but I'd rather play it a bit safe." Naruto says.

Obito nods and moves to the doorway, sliding the screen shut. Once done, he turns to face Naruto while he consumes what's in the cup. At first nothing seems to happen, then about a minute later, Naruto's form blurs, growing taller and less foxlike. A minute later he stands nude – normal, but nude in the center of the room. His normally hidden seals contrast darkly against his tanned skin as they slowly fade. Naruto heads to the couch where Obito had slept and quickly dresses.

He then stretches and pops his knuckles, before sighing. "It's feels good to be normal again, even if it's only going to be temporary." He says, before going to pick up the cup, downing its remains, and tossing it in the bin.

Obito turns and slides the screen open. "So you've got about four hours?"

"Give-or-take. Not sure what'll happen when that time runs out though. We had to break the original seal, so I don't know if it'll rebuild itself, or if I need to manually rebuild it myself. But that's not the point, let's go eat, I'm hungry."

A poof of smoke appears in the room. "Hold on a second, kid." Jiraiya calls.

Naruto turns. "What's up?"

Jiraiya looks to Naruto. "So they actually came through… that's good. Um… I might need the Uzumaki fūinjutsu scroll so that I can repair your seal. You wouldn't happen to have it, would you?"

"I do… but you know that only relatives can even touch it, correct?"

Jiraiya sighs, then nods. "Yeah, I know kid. I was friends of sorts with your parents, even being the sensei of your father, so I know how it works. I can either be a relative, or be given explicit permission from an Uzumaki to utilize it. However, to be honest I would probably fall into both categories. I'm… actually your godfather. I was there when your father named you, and your parents named me your godfather. I know I don't really deserve that right, but… I'm kind of hoping you will give me that chance."

Naruto stares at Jiraiya. "If that is true, then can you prove it?"

"Well not with physical evidence, per se, but I do have the key to your seal which was given to me by your father should you ever want to take the Kyūbi's chakra for your to harness." Jiraiya says, before summoning Gamatora. "What do you need now, Jiraiya?" The toad asks.

"Naruto, meet Gamatora. He holds the original key to your seal, though from what I've been told, it's probably useless now. I was thinking on giving you full reign of this scroll as proof."

Gamatora stares at Jiraiya. "You can't be serious Jiraiya. What if Naruto breaks the seal completely? What happens then?"

"You mean Kurama's primary seal? Yeah… that's already broken, as is the second layer. They have been for years. The only thing keeping him inside me is the final layer, and I'm not going to break that because I would end up killing myself in the process due to his release." Naruto says.

"You mean that the key is completely useless then?" Gamatora asks.

"I wouldn't say that it's entirely useless. It can probably still be used as a failsafe, such as like the Kyūbi trying to possess Naruto and forcing him into doing something drastic." Jiraiya says. "It could possibly be used to relock the seal."

"That isn't going to happen." Naruto says, causing Jiraiya and Gamatora to stare at him. "Kurama isn't as bad as people make him out to be. He didn't attack the village of his own free will. He was manipulated into doing so by an Uchiha on the day of my birth. He may be demon of sorts, but he's not evil. The Bijū are just misunderstood." He continues.

Jiraiya and Gamatora look to eachother, before looking back at Naruto. "Do you even hear yourself, Naruto? You sound like the Kyūbi's puppet. Jiraiya, you should relock the seal, and end this before it gets any worse." Gamatora says.

Naruto glares at the toad. "That isn't going to happen." He growls, his eyes flashing crimson. "Try it, and I'll rip you in half."

"There's no need to spout threats Naruto. We're just considering you own safety and that of those around you." Jiraiya says.

Naruto's eyes snap to Jiraiya. "Considering my own safety? Considering the safety of those around me?" He growls in question. "The only ones whose safety you should be considering right now is your own. You will not touch the seal." He says, his eyes flickering once again to crimson and then back.

Obito stares at the arguing trio, debating whether he should try to say something to Naruto to help him calm down, then decides against it, so as not to draw Naruto's wrath upon himself.

Jiraiya and Gamatora look to eachother once more, before Jiraiya looks back to Naruto. "You're letting your anger and the faux-care for the Kyūbi blind you Naruto. You're making it difficult to not have to reseal the lock."

"Try and get to the seal, and see what happens." Naruto growls, his blue eyes fading, being replaced by crimson.

Jiraiya sighs, "I was hoping to avoid this situation, but it seems you've really left me no choice, kid."

"You may want to move, Obito. I have a feeling things are about to get messy." Naruto growls quietly.

Obito nods, and backs out further into the hallway.

Naruto glares at Jiraiya, with Jiraiya staring back. Seconds pass, before Naruto lunges at the elder man, faster than he was expecting. Jiraiya goes flying, slamming through the wall of the room and out into the forest. Naruto is quick to follow after him.

Jiraiya tumbles across the ground before slamming into a tree. He pulls himself free before turning to face Naruto. _'Damn, he's fast… really fast.'_ He barely has time to recover and sidestep as Naruto soars towards him, poised to strike. As he avoids Naruto's strike, he slams his arm down, catching Naruto in the back, and slamming him into the ground..

The silverette rolls to his feet and turns around, swinging his leg out and catching Jiraiya in the gut.

The elder doubles over before quickly recovering, gasping for breath. He jumps back and goes through a string of hand-seals. **_"Katon: Kyodai-en-ha_** _(Fire Release: Giant Flame Wave)."_ He then exhales, a literal wave of flame rushing at Naruto.

Naruto rushes through the sea of flames, not caring at all about the burns. He emerges and swings his fist, slamming it into Jiraiya's face, cutting of his jutsu and sending him tumbling once more. Jiraiya recovers, and as he stands, he sees Naruto airborne, aiming a dropkick at him. He channels chakra into his hair, wrapping it around himself as it hardens. **_"Ninpō: Hari Jizō_** _(Ninja Art: Needle Jizō)."_

Naruto slams his leg down onto Jiraiya, cutting and stabling his legs on the sharpened and hardened hair of Jiraiya's technique. He backflips away and stands poised, ready to charge.

Jiraiya begins to rapidly rotate, needles flaying from his hair. **_"Ninpō: Senbon Hōgeki_** _(Ninja Art: Senbon Barrage)."_ Naruto dodges and draws a kunai to help deal with any needles that he's unable to dodge. Once the needles stop flying, Naruto rushes forwards, his _Akumagan_ flaring into existence, his hands flashing through seals. " ** _Kitsunehō: Fushoku Enrakka_** _(Fox Art: Corrosive Flame Drop)."_ He jumps, curls up and begins flipping, Bijū chakra flames roaring to life around him.

Jiraiya releases his **_Hari Jizō_** … just as Naruto slams into him. Jiraiya is forced to the ground, a giant crater forming around him from the force of the impact. His skin begins burning from the caustic nature of the Bijū chakra created flames. Naruto uncurls and jumps away, the flames dying away.

Jiraiya climbs to his beet, his body protesting. _'Damn, this kid packs one hell of a wallop. And to be honest, I don't even think he's really trying.'_ He thinks.

Naruto watches Jiraiya begin to go through hand-seals, and immediately begins mimicking him. They both inhale, form a circle with their hands near their mouths, before exhaling. **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_** Two massive fireballs collide into eachother, flames erupting everywhere. Jiraiya utilizes his experience to strength his attack, while Naruto pumps Kurama's chakra into his own.

Eventually both fireball attacks diminish, and the two ninja stare at eachother. They both go through more hand-seals and bite their thumbs, slamming their hands into the ground. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_** Two enormous clouds of smoke appear and eventually fade, showing Jiraiya to be standing atop a massive purplish-pink toad, a sasumata in his right hand with a sakazuki-like shield on his other arm. Naruto is shown to be standing atop a massive, beige-colored five tailed Kitsune.

* * *

"Hello, Jiraiya. It's been a while since you've called upon me." The toad says.

"Gamaken, do you think you will be able to help me out against my godson?" Jiraiya asks.

Gamaken looks to the other massive summon. "I can try, but you know that I'm not exactly the most graceful…"

* * *

 _'Naruto-sama, it's good to see you again. How can I be of assistance?'_ The massive fox asks directly in Naruto head.

"My 'godfather' is trying to completely seal me off from Kurama. I can't contact him because of issue with the seal, but Jiraiya is trying to completely lock it again." Naruto replies, not taking his eyes from Jiraiya or his summon.

 _'So you want me to help you set him straight? Heh, sounds like fun. I've always wondered what toad tastes like.'_ The fox says.

"Then let's got Kuzuki. Let's teach him exactly why it is that you don't mess with the Kitsunes." Naruto says, just before Kuzuki lunges towards Gamaken, trampling trees as he goes. Any nearby Genin scatter so as not to get caught in the cross-fire or be trampled. The Kitsune tackles Gamaken and they slide, leveling the forest as they go, before the fox bites into Gamaken's shoulder.

Gamaken howls in pain, bashing his shield into the side of Kuzuki's head, forcing him to let go. Gamaken then swings his staff, slamming it into Kuzuki's side. Naruto forms hand-seals and inhales. " ** _Fūton: Shinkūdama."_** He then exhales, launching giant blasts of wind directly at Jiraiya.

Gamaken raises his sakazuki shield, blocking the blasts. Kuzuki then swipes at the toad, catching him in the side with his claws, gouging out deep wounds. Gamaken winces before hopping away, bringing his poke around in another attempt to bash the Kitsune with it, but the fox sidesteps the attack before lunging once more at the toad, his jaws wide. Gamaken moves his shield into place, blocking the fox.

Kuzuki shakes his head before lunging forward and bashing squarely into the shield, knocking Gamaken off balance. Kuzuki repeats this a second time, this time knocking Gamaken onto his back, Jiraiya losing his chakra hold and tumbling off of Gamaken's head. Jiraiya flashes through more seals. _'Please let this work.'_ He performs another summoning, and a second massive toad appears.

This toad is a maroon-like color and has a black coat on with the kanji; 蝦 Ebi (Shrimp), on the back. In his mouth is a pipe and hanging by his side is a massive dosu blade. "Jiraiya! Why the hell have you summoned me!? There had better be –" The toad roars, but stops when he see the large beige fox. "Well… if it isn't a Kitsune." He says, pulling his pipe from his mouth.

Kuzuki lunges forward in an attempt to tackle the new toad, but Gamaken stops him with his shield, of which gets knocked aside due to the fox's momentum. Naruto concentrates, digging deep, searching for any sign of Kurama. He then jumps off of Kuzuki and flares gold while in midair. Once the light settles, a massive thud is heard followed by the sight of an enormous flaming yellow fox with Naruto inside its head, nine golden tails swaying behind it.

Kuzuki, Gamabunta, Gamaken, Jiraiya, as well as anyone still nearby stare at the newcomer. Full Bijū-Cloak Kurama roars, before lunging at Gamabunta, tackling it causing them to slide almost fifty feet, while the caustic chakra burns the toads flesh. "What the hell Jiraiya?! You're having me fight the Kami forsaken Kyūbi?!" Gamabunta roars.

"I actually didn't know that Naruto could do this. No one has told me that he had this ability." Jiraiya responds.

BC-Kurama slashes at Gamabunta, gouging deep, burning wounds. The toad hops away and unsheathes his blade, before lunging at BC-Kurama, slashing at it, cutting straight through, but doing negligible damage. "What the…?"

Kuzuki keeps guard over Gamaken so that he is unable to assist the other toad.

BC-Kurama lunges at Gamabunta, snapping its jaws at him, biting into his arm. The chief toad slams the pommel of his blade into the chakra construct, slamming its head down. "Jiraiya, I need some fire." Gamabunta calls out.

The maroon toad focuses on building up oil while Jiraiya prepares to use a fire jutsu. The toad then unleashes the torrent of oil as Jiraiya ignites it, a massive fireball enveloping BC-Kurama's form. The flames eat away at the chakra construct. He works on keeping it intact, but the onslaught of fire just keeps coming.

 _'…it, can… ear me? … aruto…'_ Naruto hears from deep within his head.

 _'Kurama? Is that you?'_

 _'…eed to us… my chakra… only way… the cloak… collaps...'_ Kurama says, still unable to be fully understood.

Naruto struggles to decipher Kurama's works, but understands the gist of it. He digs deep for Kurama's chakra, and surprisingly, finds it fairly easily. He draws upon it and begins pumping it into chakra construct, reinforcing it.

The flames finally cease and when they completely fade, BC-Kurama is still standing strong. The construct lunges at the maroon toad tackling him, and biting into the sword wielding arm. He gains a hold of the toad and chomps down, causing Gamabunta to howl in pain and drop the sword. BC-Kurama then turns, bringing his tails around, grabbing Gamabunta, the chakra making him hiss in pain.

BC-Kurama then lurches forward, bringing Gamabunta up and over him, before slamming the toad into the ground. BC-Kurama then releases his tails' grasp before pouncing onto the toad. He bites into Gamabunta's neck just as the toad kicks out, knocking the chakra construct off of him. Gamabunta jumps, soaring into the air. He keeps rising until gravity finally manages to reclaim its hold, dragging him back down to the ground. He body slams BC-Kurama, throwing dust, trees, and rocks in every direction, and causing the ground to shake violently. He then hops away and examines the aftermath.

BC-Kurama is grounded into an enormous, fox-shaped crater. He climbs to his feet and shakes his head. The construct then raises its head up, bringing its tails forward to help build the next attack, red and blue chakra swirling around and gathering into a slowly enlarging vermillion sphere.

 _'… two-fifths… -fifths of my ch… proportions requi….'_ Naruto hears Kurama say, knowing that he's still helping in any way that he can.

The orb gradually grows before stopping. It then shrinks, compressing, before BC-Kurama lowers its head, aiming its gaze directly at Gamabunta. BC-Kurama then clamps his jaws around the chakra orb, steam flowing from its mouth, before erupting as a massive **_Bijūdama-kōsen_** _(Tailed Beast Bomb Beam)_ , straight at the toad, destroying the forest as well as anything within its path of travel.

Jiraiya's eyes widen and he uses the **_kawarimi_** with a fair distanced rock to get well out of range of the beam of death. Kuzuki disperses in a cloud of smoke just as BC-Kurama is about to fire off the deadly attack, leaving Gamaken in the path of the attack.

The **_Bijūdama-kōsen_** reaches Gamaken but doesn't stop, roaring along its pre-directed path reaching Gamabunta as well, before just continuing past him as well. It goes for about thirty seconds, before finally detonating. A gargantuan explosion can be seen and heard, which is soon followed by an incredible wave of wind that can be felt for miles around the epicenter of the explosion.

When the beam leading to the explosion dies away, a seventy-foot wide and twenty foot deep trench can be seen leading to a massive crater miles away on one end, and a still poised BC-Kurama on the other, steam still rolling from its mouth.

Gamaken and Gamabunta are in horrible condition, but are still alive… albeit barely. Both of their bodies are blackened and smoking. The both disperse in massive clouds of smoke, Gamabunta's dosu blade following almost a minute later.

Jiraiya is hiding in a distant tree, having jumped into it after having used the **_kawarimi_** with the rock. _'Holy….'_ He thinks, flabbergasted by the raw, destructive power of the attack that had just been unleashed. _'If that had hit me, there wouldn't have been anything left to mourn over.'_

 _'…kit, that wasn't hal… you manag… off well.'_ Kurama says. _'Now you nee… out a way to rep… so that thin… o normal.'_

 _'I don't know if we can. Somehow the seal is damaged, and the guy I was just battling was the only one who could possibly have helped._ ' Naruto thinks in reply.

 _'…derstand that k… ithout his help… get repaired. You ne… the seal repa… cks it or not.'_ Kurama says, brokenly.

Naruto sighs. _'Fine…Kurama. If having the seal locked again means that I can possibly have you back, then so be it. I'll just unlock it like I did last time, but he still shouldn't have threatened to do it in the first place…'_ He replies trailing off at the end.

He then closes his eyes, and releases the Bijū Cloak, slowly descending to the ground as the fiery vulpine dissipates. He looks around with his still active dōjutsu, searching for Jiraiya, having seen him disappear just before the **_Bijūdama-kōsen_** struck. He locates a number of chakra signatures, sifting through them, searching for the highest. He finds it above the ground level, possibly a tree, and heads towards it, the other signatures scattering as he approaches.

Naruto nears a tree and looks up, spotting Jiraiya on a branch, eying him warily. "How about we call a truce? I over-reacted… big time. I just want Kurama back, but I was afraid you locking the seal would cut me off from him for good."

Jiraiya drops down and look Naruto in the eyes. "What's with your eyes?"

Naruto deactivates his _Akumagan_ , his eyes returning to their normal cerulean. "Nothing. It's just a dōjutsu that Kurama gave me. It's another reason I was so reluctant."

"You know… you could've killed me with that last attack of yours." Jiraiya replies. "What would you have done about your damaged seal then? And speaking of your seal, I'm still going to need the Uzumaki scroll as well."

Naruto nods. "Back at the tower, without as many prying eyes." He says, turning and heading back towards the tower, which has somehow escaped the destructive battle unscathed except for the massive hole where the battle started, Jiraiya following.

"You know… Fukasaku is going to be in a fit due to you almost killing two of the toad's best summons." Jiraiya says, but Naruto doesn't even acknowledge him.

The two eventually return to the tower, where a team of ANBU, Kakashi, Yuu, and Hiruzen await, with Obito hanging back near the door. "Do one of you two mind telling me just what the hell happened here?" Hiruzen asks when Jiraiya and Naruto get within earshot.

The two then explain what happened, everything from Kakashi contacting Jiraiya, to Naruto's seal acting up, to the confrontation between the two, to their dues, and everything else in between. Once they finish, the room stands in silence, processing the information.

Hiruzen then turns to Naruto. "So how is your seal now? Any progress or additional degradation?"

"I'm not sure. While I was in Bijū Cloak form, I was able to receive little bits and pieces of conversation from Kurama. It was usually broken up though, so it took some thinking to fill in the gaps." Naruto replies, then notices a clock, sighing. _'Damn… I used an hour of my time fighting and arguing with Jiraiya…'_ He thinks, his ears pressing to his head.

"Did he say anything useful, like a possible way to repair the seal?"

Naruto shakes his head. "No… he said to allow Jiraiya to repair it, even if it means that he has to relock the seal in the process."

"Are you sure, Naruto-kun? Won't that affect your ability to communicate with him?" Yuu asks.

"No. I'll still be able to communicate with him, but my abilities will be limited. Like, I won't be able to utilize my Bijū Cloak and possibly my _Akumagan_ , but I'll still have my summons."

"All I need is the Uzumaki Scroll, then I can start hopefully working on a solution to repair the seal." Jiraiya says.

Naruto nods and summons the scroll, hoisting it up and standing it on its side, offering it to Jiraiya.

Yuu is about to warn Jiraiya, but he takes hold of it with no issues. Yuu looks to Naruto, an eyebrow raised. Naruto looks at Yuu in return, 'Later', he mouths.

"Don't open that here, Jiraiya. I'd rather not have the secrets of the Uzumaki being leaked. You're an exception, since you're the only one who can even really utilize most of what's in there." Naruto says.

Jiraiya nods, before tucking the scroll under his arm. "I'm off then. Gotta get to work." He says, before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

All the ANBU vanish as well, followed by Hiruzen walking from the room. Yuu then looks back to Naruto as Obito approaches. "So… you wanna tell me how it is that Jiraiya was able to grab the scroll?"

Naruto looks to Kakashi then Obito, then back to Yuu. "It's because Jiraiya is family. Apparently my father named him my godfather before I was born."

"Your godfather? Then why the hell wasn't he there to raise you like he should have?" Yuu asks.

"It's because he's always out around the bath houses trying to peek in on the women. That or out doing surveillance and spying for the village." Kakashi replies. "He said he wanted nothing to do with a – and these are his words – 'snot-nosed brat', but I think that after Naruto's little display, he may be around a bit more, primarily to keep an eye on Naruto."

Naruto, Yuu and Obito sweat-drop. "So he's a pervert?" They all ask simultaneously and monotonously.

Kakashi chuckles, nodding. "That he is. He's also an author."

"You mean he also writes book? About what? Smut or how to be a bad godfather?" Naruto asks.

"Actually, he does write smut. And to be honest, it's a big hit amongst men, though… not so much women." He then mentally sighs, having left his Icha-Icha at home.

Just then a rumble sounds throughout the room, and all eyes turn to Naruto, who rubs the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "What? Jiraiya interrupted Obito and I as we were about to go and grab some food. It's not my fault I'm hungry."

Kakashi sighs and rubs his temples, Yuu rolls his eyes, and Obito sweat-drops. ' _Says the kid who just took on one of the Sannin and two grand summons, and pretty much walked all over them.'_ They all think simultaneously.

"I've got about two hours left until I change back into a Kitsune. I'd rather grab some grub while I can." Naruto says. "Maybe we should switch rooms as well."

The quartet all look at the giant hole in the wall leading into the forest. "That might be a good idea." Yuu replies as they all exit the room, sealing it as they leave, before heading to a room two rooms down. Naruto places the thermos onto the table. "What's that?" Yuu asks.

"It's a stew of sorts made by the Kitsunes. Don't ask how they managed to put it in a thermos, because even I don't know the answer to that. As for what it does, well you're looking at it. It's how I'm currently in my human form at the moment. I'm technically still stuck as a Kitsune." Naruto says, his ears twitching. He pulls out a small seal, and bites his thumb, smearing his blood on it. "Obito, you do the same, just a bit of a paranoid precaution."

Once Obito does, Naruto then places the seal on the table and places the thermos on top of it. To Naruto and Obito the thermos is still there, but to the two adult, it vanishes.

"It's a simple cloaking seal, on a much smaller and simpler scale than the one that I used around the camp yesterday, just slightly modified. It also a barrier seal built into it, protecting it from any outside interference." Naruto says. "Now let's go and eat, before my time runs out preferably."

The quartet then leaves the room and follow Yuu – who's still the proctor – to the dining hall, which is surprisingly quite large. They each grab a tray and fill it with whatever they want that is served, before heading to a random table and sitting down.

They eat in relative silence for about twenty minutes before another team walks in… team nine. They spot Naruto and head for him. "Naruto… can you please explain what the hell happened earlier? I'm pretty sure the entirety of the exams saw the fight, and I'm pretty sure every nation saw that explosion. So, do you mind filling us in?" Neji asks.

Naruto blinks. "Uhh… right. You should probably grab your food and join us, and then I'll explain." Team nine goes and grabs their food, before joining the rest at the table, followed by Naruto explaining what happened.

After he finishes explaining, an awkward silence runs through team nine. "So you're saying that you took on one of the Sannin, and decided to name the fight as a draw?" Tenten asks.

Naruto nods. "Pretty much." His ears twitch.

"Wow. That's pretty badass. The Sannin are supposed to be the strongest ninja in the nations, only surpassed by the Kages. Very few can match them. My role model is Lady Tsunade, a medical genius, who's also one of the Sannin.

Naruto nods. "I know of the Sannin. I just never expected that man to be _that_ Jiraiya. Jiraiya, the Toad Sage of Mt. Myōboku. Tsunade, the Slug Princess, medical prodigy, as well as the legendary sucker when it comes to gambling due to her bad luck. And Orochimaru, the traitor of Konoha, banished by the Sandaime Hokage for conducting forbidden experiments.

Each of the Sannin is formidable in their own right, but together, they're supposed to be nigh-unbeatable. They were given their title by Hanzo the Salamander, the leader of Ame, out of respect, a number of years ago before Orochimaru defected from Konoha. They each have a summoning contract and can summon at least one grand summon; Jiraiya with the Toads of Mt. Myōboku, Tsunade with the slugs of the Shikkotsu Forest, and Orochimaru with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave. Each could also learn Sage Mode, although I believe that Jiraiya has already achieved that." Naruto continues.

Naruto continues explaining things about the Sannin, with everyone present listening while they eat. The times ticks by, their meals having long been finished. Team nine asks a variety of questions, and Naruto attempts them as best as he can. Eventually only five minutes remain until Naruto reverts back to a Kitsune.

Naruto gets up and stretches. "Well, it's been fun, but I really think we should be going." He says, causing everyone to look at him confused.

"But why? It's still early, and there's nothing important go on, so what's the rush to leave about?" Tenten asks.

Naruto looks to Obito for help, nodding his head slightly towards the clock to get his message across. Obito, blinks, before looking in the direction, noticing the clock, before snapping his head back in realization. He stands up as well. "Yeah, we really should be going. We, uh, have some things to discuss as a team."

Everyone minus Naruto then look at Obito, confused. Then it finally clicks for Kakashi. He leans to Yuu and whispers, "Naruto has about two minutes before he shifts back to a Kitsune, and I don't think that he wants to do it here."

Yuu's eyes widen briefly, before he calmly stands. "I've actually got something to take care of as the proctor of this exam." He lies smoothly, as he proceeds to leave the dining hall, only stopping to drop off his tray.

Team nine looks at all the ninja not of their team with questioning gazes. "Okay, you guys are all acting strangely. Do you all know something that we don't?" Tenten asks.

Naruto shifts subtly from foot to foot nervously. Obito notices and nudges Kakashi, who looks to Naruto. Naruto picks up his tray and heads to clear it, and almost bolts from the dining hall before disappearing in a poof of smoke. Team nine watches before turning to the two remaining non-teammates. "What was that about?" Neji questions.

Obito and Kakashi look at eachother, unsure of how to respond. Obito turns to face team nine. "It's… complicated, and I doubt Naruto will want us to explain it, so it might be best if you just ask him at a later time." He says, before turning to leave, followed by Kakashi.

Team nine look to eachother. "What do you think that was about?" Tenten asks.

"I do not know, but it definitely unyouthful of Naruto-san to all of a sudden leave like he did." Lee replies.

"It was strange, that much is certain. Maybe we should go and see what's going on?" Tenten asks.

"I don't think that will be a good idea. Naruto has many secrets, so I think it may be best not to pry. Let him tell us when he is ready." Neji replies.

"But Obito said that we should ask Naruto –" Tenten starts, but is cut off. "At a later time. It's only been a couple minutes. Let's wait a little while before we do anything, then we'll go and ask." Neji says, standing and moving to clear his tray. The remaining team nine members follow suit, but not before looking to eachother.

* * *

Naruto appears in the room just as he can feel the sensation of the reversion. He looks at his arms and can see the silver fur of his Kitsune form having started to appear. About two minutes later, his human form is gone, and under a pile of clothes is a silver fox. _'That was a little too close for comfort.'_ He thinks as he struggles his way out of the heap of heavy clothes.

The door opens, and Yuu followed by Kakashi and Obito enter the room. They look around, but at first glance don't see Naruto. Obito then spots the heap of Naruto's clothes, and moves to nudge it, before chuckling. While Obito kneels to help untangle Naruto from his shirt, Kakashi and Yuu chuckle as well.

"You okay Naruto? You looked like you were losing to a shirt." Obito says.

"Ha, ha, laugh it up. You've felt my clothes, you know they're not exactly light, and they don't tear easily. It may not seem like much to you, but with me stuck like this, it's a bit more than I can currently, easily deal with."

Obito grins. "Gomen, it's just that you, who are easily one of the strongest ninja in Konoha, were losing to a shirt. It was pretty funny."

"Some friend you are." Naruto snorts.

"So Naruto-kun, when were you going to tell me of this… predicament?" Yuu asks.

Naruto looks up to Yuu. "Uhh… once I was actually able to shift on my own accord. Kurama kept telling me to practice physically instead of only in my mindscape. I said I would, once I got the hang of pigment control down. Silver-furred foxes are rare, and their pelts sell for a lot. I wanted to wait until I could shift forms as well as change fur color, before I told you."

Yuu thinks for a moment before nodding. "That's understandable, but you should've at least gave me a heads-up. But you are correct, silver fox pelts are rare and sell for a lot. SO I can see why you were hesitant to… shift, as you call it. But why were you so reluctant to tell anyone? How many people know, or is it just us?"

"Well, there's you three, Jiraiya as well as team seven. They were kind of unavoidable, since we set up camp together and I ended up shifting in the middle of the night, and woke up unable to change back." Naruto says. "I don't think anyone else besides Gamatora – one of Jiraiya's summons – knows."

"So what are you going to do now? You can't fight while like that, can you?"

"I mean, I _can_ fight, but it wouldn't be very effective. But that's what the stew is for. Kurei, one of my summons, brought it for me. She said that there should be two more helpings left in the thermos." He turns to Obito. "You did watch how much you game me earlier, right?"

Obito nods, moving to the table and picking up the thermos, opening it. "Yeah… actually, it's full again. There may be seals inside this thing, so I'm assuming that once it's empty, a seal breaks, refilling the thermos." He then replaces the thermos onto the seal.

Naruto nods. "Okay, that's good, I just wanted to make sure. We've still got a few days to go, and I'm not sure if they're going to be sending another batch or not."

"So, is there anything that we can do to help?" Yuu asks.

"Not really. All I really need is Jiraiya's seal repair. That, and to prevent people from finding out about my current predicament."

"Well, if you're sure, then I guess we'll be going. See you later, Naruto-kun." Yuu says, disappearing in a poof of smoke, followed soon by Kakashi.

Naruto moves to and jumps up onto the nearby chair and curls up, while Obito moves to the couch and flops himself down on it.

* * *

 **Kami no Shinseina Rokujū** : Divine Sixteen Heavenly Realms

 **Ato de aimash** **ō:** See you later

 **Katon: Kyodai-en-ha:** Fire Release: Giant Flame Wave (Similar in concept to Madara's **_Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku_** _(Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation)_ but at a much less-grand of a scale and nowhere near as destructive)

 **Ninpō: Hari Jizō:** Ninja Art: Needle Jizō (Jizō is actually a little hard to explain without going into a lot of detail, but if you want to know more, just Google this technique and follow the Narutopedia link, it's there in the main technique's description)

 **Ninpō: Senbon Hōgeki** : Ninja Art: Senbon Barrage

 **Kitsunehō: Fushoku Enrakka:** Kitsune Art: Corrosive Flame Drop (Requires the _Akumagan_ to be active)

 **Bijūdama-kōsen:** Tailed Beast Bomb Beam


	15. Chūnin Exams and More - Part 3

The ANBU Shadows

* * *

Chapter 8 – Part 3

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

* * *

 ** _===Two Days Later===_**

All the exam participants and standing in a large room… the ones who successfully managed to acquire both a Heaven and Earth scroll as well as make it to the tower within the allotted time. Twenty-three Genin stand in eight columns, a large majority looking towards Naruto with wariness.

"Congratulations to all of those who have passed the second stage of the exams. You have all done well in making it this far, but due to the number of successful applicants, we will have to hold a series of preliminaries; the first one, in thirteen years." Yuu announces. "We will begins said preliminaries immediately. But before we do, is there anyone who deems themselves as unfit to continue? Raise your hand and your name will be noted, then you will be free to leave."

At first, no one raises their hand, before one slowly makes its way into the air. "I'm out proctor." Kabuto says.

Sakura turns to face Kabuto. "But why quit? After all that you did to help us?"

Kabuto looks at the pinkette. "To be honest, I'm exhausted. Five days in that forest and always on alert. Not to mention the fight we had to deal with last night… my chakra is running on fumes. Not to mention, they're throwing us into more battles… I just can't do it. Not when given no time to recover, at least."

Yuu looks at Kabuto, then to a clipboard. He notes the name and marks it, before looking back up. "Kabuto Yakushi… you're free to go. Anyone else?" When no one else raises their hands, he continues. "Then we will begin the process of randomly matching the opponents. If you would all turn your attention to the screen on the back wall." He then motions to said wall as a panel slides away, revealing a large screen. Names begin rapidly scrolling until they stop; "Sasuke Uchiha and Yoroi Akadō, you two are up first. Can everyone else please move up the balconies, while the two selected remain on the floor?"

All the Genin, minus the selected, move up off of the arena floor. Once done, the two fighters face eachother. "Are there any objections to your current opponent?" Yuu asks, receiving two confirmations of no issues. "Hajime! (Begin!)" He says, before jumping back.

 ** _(A/N: I'm not going to bother writing all of the fights, just the ones that I have changed up. If they're canon, I'll end them quickly. I may not have shown the Orochimaru vs. team seven fight, but it did happen, and Sasuke did still receive the Curse Mark, but he won't be as focused on revenge as in canon.)_**

This fight happens the same as it did in canon. Yoroi siphons Sasuke's chakra as they trade blows, the Curse Mark appears and gets forced back, and Sasuke defeats Yoroi using the **_Shishi Rendan_** _(Lion's Barrage)._ Sasuke is declared the winner, before Kakashi **_shunshins_** to the Uchiha, whispers to him about the Curse Mark, before they both **_shunshin_** from the arena.

The second fight is Neji against Hinata, with Neji wiping the floor with the main branch heiress, knocking her unconscious instead of trying to kill her.

The third fight is Kankurō against Misumi Tsurugi, the other member of Kabuto's team. Kankurō wins by Misumi's forfeit when he gets captured by Karasu (Crow).

The fourth fight is Sakura against Ino, which ends in a double-knockout.

The fifth fight is Kiba against Obito. The two Genin make their way down to the arena floor. Kiba places Akamaru on the ground, readying himself, as does Obito. "You're at a disadvantage with only one eye kid. You should forfeit." Kiba says.

Obito scoffs. "As if. Just because I only have one eye, doesn't mean that I can't still wipe the floor with you."

"Any issues with your opponent?" Yuu asks, earning two nos. "Hajime!" He says, jumping back.

Kiba rushes immediately at Obito, kunai poised to strike. Obito sidesteps and sticks his leg out, tripping the Inuzuka, making him fall flat on his face.

Akamaru then lunges at Obito and bites him on the arm. Obito yelps, and rips the ninken off before throwing him at Kiba, knocking him off balance as he was getting back to his feet. Blood trickles down his arm as he rushes at the recovering pair, punching Kiba square in the face, sending Kiba flat onto his back.

Obito sighs. "C'mon. Are you even trying? Your mutt at least managed to injure me." He says, showing his bleeding arm.

Kiba growls, climbing to his feet. He reaches into a pouch and pulls out two small red pills, soldier pills. He flicks one to Akamaru before consuming the second one. Akamaru's fur turns crimson. "You're going to eat your words, kid. **_Gijin Ninpō: Jūjin Bunshin_** _(Imitation Human Ninja Art: Beast Human Clone)."_ He says as he and Akamaru disappear in poofs of smoke, that when it clears, shows two feral looking Kibas, one standing crouched atop the second crouching Kiba. Both then lunge at Obito **_"Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi: Gatsūga_** _(Beast Human Body Technique Secret Art: Fang Passing Fang)"._ Kiba calls as both Kibas lunge forward and begin rapidly spinning, claws ripping through the air.

Obito activates his _Sharingan_ and begins dodging the frenzy of whirling claws. He doesn't emerge unscathed by the time the assault is finished, however. He has numerous cuts and slashes all over his body. His outfit is ripped in multiple places, but is surprisingly not as bad as he thought it would be. The two Kibas land one atop the other once more.

"Is that all that you've got?" Obito taunts and begins forming hand-seals. He finishes quickly and grabs a handful of shuriken as he inhales. **_"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu_** _(Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Technique)."_ He then throws the shuriken as he exhales, coating them in flames. The shuriken-hidden fireballs soar towards the two Kibas. They perform the **_Gatsūga_** to bulldoze through the attack, and manage to do so, but end up getting burnt and cut from the shuriken in the process.

The two Kibas land just in time to hear, **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_** By the time they turn around to look, the massive fireball is already upon them. When the fireball eventually fades, Kiba and Akamaru are both seen smoking. Akamaru reverts to his normal form, before falling off of Kiba's back, unconscious. Kiba remains crouched but reverts to normal as well. "H-how did you manage to use such powerful fire… attacks?" He asks, falling to the floor, unconscious.

"Winner by knockout, Obito." Yuu says. A handful of spectators stare at Obito, silent questions running through their heads.

Kakashi reappears behind team seven in a poof of smoke. "Hey guys. So what did I miss?"

Sai turns. "You missed Neji beating Hinata, Sakura and Ino knocking eachother out…" He says, motioning two the two still unconscious females. "…Kankurō defeating Misumi, and just now, Obito defeating Kiba and Akamaru."

Kakashi raises an eyebrow/ "Obito beat Kiba, huh? That's not too surprising." He says, looking to the still smoldering Inuzuka and ninken. "But, his power seems to be a lot higher than I last remember, if Kiba and Akamaru's conditions are anything to go by."

"I wouldn't be too sure Kakashi. He seems to have surpassed even what I thought that he would, although, not by too much." Naruto says. "Remember, I helped him recover from his injuries."

"The sixth match will be Chōji Akimichi against Dosu Kinuta." Yuu announces. At first Chōji is reluctant to fight, until Asuma bribes him with barbeque. Dosu uses his resonating echo speaker **_(A/N: that's literally what it's called)_** to easily defeat Chōji.

The seventh match is Gaara against Kin. The female Oto-nin loses spectacularly as she was too slow to avoid Gaara's sand, getting caught in his **_Sabaku Kyū_** _(Sand Binding Coffin)_ before being crushed with his **_Sabaku Sōsō_** _(Sand Binding Funeral)._

The eighth match is Temari against Tenten. Temari stops everything that Tenten throws at her with her battle fan, eventually beating her with her **_Ninpō: Kamaitachi no Jutsu_** _(Ninja Art: Sickle Weasel Technique)._

The ninth match is Shino against Zaku. Shino plugs Zaku's wind cannons before he pretty much blows his arms to pieces trying to use one of his attacks.

The tenth match is Shikamaru against Sai. The two Konoha-nin make their way into the arena and stand facing eachother. Yuu asks if they have any issues before starting the match. "Hajime!" He then jumps away.

Sai immediately pulls out his brush and scroll and hastily paints. **_"Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Shishi._** _(Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitation Scroll: Lions). **"**_ Three ink lions peel themselves from the scroll and stand between the two Genin.

Shikamaru sighs before muttering, "Troublesome." He draws a kunai and explosive tag, wraps the tag around the handle, before pocketing it. He then forms a hand-seal. **_"Kagemane no Jutsu."_** His shadow stretches out and connects with the three ink beasts. "Possession complete." He then proceeds to make two of the beasts attack eachother, releasing his jutsu, just before they reduce themselves to puddles of ink.

He then makes the third lion lunge at Sai, who's busy painting on his scroll. Sai jumps out of the way, placing his brush handle in his mouth, drawing his ninjato, keeping his scroll in his other hand. When the beast comes close again, he slashes at it, cleaving it in half, moments after Shikamaru's shadow releases its hold. Sai switches his ninjato with his brush and finishes the incomplete project on his scroll. **_"Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Ryū._** _(Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitation Scroll: Dragon). **"**_ A large ink dragon peels itself from the scroll, soon followed by two more ink lions.

The lions lunge at Shikamaru, forcing him to dodge, and pull out a kunai mid-dodge. He also draws the tagged kunai, before hurling it at the dragon, the kunai being in its blind spot. He slashes at an advancing lion causing it to jump back. The tagged kunai strikes into the dragon, but doesn't detonate.

The two lions lunge once more, and he drops to the ground as they pounce, soaring over him. He drags his kunai against the underside of one of the beasts, causing it to collapse into a puddle of ink, spattering his face. He blindly triggers the tagged kunai, and it detonates, blowing a large chunk out of the dragon.

He stands, quickly wiping his eyes, before reaching out and ensnaring the remaining lion with his shadow as it lunges. Sai then rushes forward, two more lions flanking him. The three attacks reach Shikamaru and his ensnared lion just as the dragon finally collapses into a giant puddle of ink. Sai slashes at Shikamaru and he parries the attack with his kunai. The possessed lion swipes, mimicking the shadow user's parry, and manages to gouge one of Sai's lions. Shikamaru then stretches his shadow out as Sai swings his ninjato and Sai's second lion pounces, catching them both in his jutsu.

Sai's ninjato is against Shikamaru's neck, Shikamaru's kunai is against Sai's neck, and the two lions are poised to attack eachother. "That was a little bit close, don't you think?" Shikamaru asks.

"Not bad… but what are you going to do now? We're currently in a stale mate." Sai states.

"That's a good assumption… but not exactly. You're still in my jutsu, but I've only used one level of it." He says, before beginning to shift his **_Kagemane_** hand-seal. _'I've only just started learning this technique, and I'm still highly inept with it, but I think that I might be able to utilize it long enough for me to win this if I do it right.'_ He thinks. **_"Ninpō: Kage-tsukamu no Jutsu_** _(Ninja Art: Shadow Grasping Technique)."_ His shadow then begins to creep up Sai's body, heading for his ninjato wielding arm. It wraps around it and slowly begins maneuvering it away from Shikamaru's throat.

Sais struggles to keep his ninjato in place, but is slowly overpowered, eventually having his own weapon pointed at his own throat. "Give up, you can't win." Shikamaru says, even as he can feel his grasp on his technique beginning to falter. "Checkmate."

Sai sighs. "Proctor, I forfeit. I'm in no position to continue."

Yuu nods. "Winner by forfeit. Shikamaru Nara." Shikamaru releases his technique, sighing. "Troublesome. I was almost out of chakra. I only just started to learn that specific technique, so I was pushing my reserves to the limit. I probably would've lasted maybe another ten seconds more, and then my technique would've ended, whether I wanted it to or not." He says, holding out his hand to Sai.

Sai looks to the hand, before grasping it and shaking. "It was a good match. I've still got things to learn, and this loss confirms my assumptions that there is always someone who will be able to outdo you." He says, before the two then make their way back up to the spectator balcony.

"Wow Shikamaru, that's the most active that I think I have ever seen you." Asuma says, earning a few dittos.

"The final fight will be between Naruto Tataki and Rock Lee. Will the next participants please enter the arena?" Yuu calls out.

Both Naruto and Lee jump over the railings, dropping into the ring. "Yosh, it seems that our inevitable rematch has finally arrived Naruto-san. Let's allow both of our most youthful flames shine brightly." Lee says enthusiastically.

 ** _(A/N: I hate Gai and Lee's 'Flames of Youth' bs, and it hurts so much more to have to write the damn things….*cries*)_**

Naruto as well as a majority of the spectators all sweat-drop. "Uhh… right. I think? This should be a good match Lee. How do you want to do this? I'll let you choose."

"Nothing but taijutsu, just like last time. I want this to be our most youthful rematch." Lee replies.

Naruto nods, before pulling off his belt and vest. He clips his vest to the belt and turns to the balcony, tossing it up to Obito, before turning back to Lee. "Gōken or Jyūken?" He asks, causing interest to peak in some of the Genin at hearing his question.

Lee smirks. "Gōken." He says, before shifting into his taijutsu stance; one arm behind his back, the other forward palm towards himself, his left leg forward, right leg bent as a brace. Naruto mimics this stance as the Gōken is pretty much always taught the same way.

* * *

"This should be good. It's been a while since those two have sparred, and last time Naruto pulled a Neji." Tenten says.

Neji smirks. "True… last time he used the Jyūken, but it seems they're both going to be using the Gōken this time. This should be a good match."

"Indeed it shall. Let us hope that Naruto-kun's flames haven't dwindled since that day, but that would be unlikely seeing as he had just fought a Sannin just a few days ago." Gai says, earning a few curious glances.

"What do you mean by that, Gai-sensei?" Sakura asks, she and Ino having woke up during Temari and Tenten's battle.

Gai turns to Sakura. "Don't tell me that you didn't witness that most youthful battle that took place the other day? The one with the two giant toads and the two giant foxes?" He asks.

Sakura's eyes widen. "That was Naruto? Since when can he do stuff like what happened in that fight though?"

"There is much that you do not know about Naruto. Even as his teammate, I know very little about him." Obito says.

Gai nods. "Indeed there is. The very first day he met my team, he and Lee fought. He dropped Lee like it wasn't even hard, but only because of a technique that he used. He easily knocked Lee out for at least an hour."

* * *

"This should be a fight to remember." Naruto says.

Lee nods. "Indeed it shall. It'll be our most youthful battle ever."

"Are you two ready?" Yuu asks.

"Ready as ever, nīchan." Naruto, replies.

"Ready, Yuu-sama." Lee replies.

Yuu nods. "Hajime!" He says, before leaping away.

Lee rushes at Naruto, a blur of green. Naruto parries the attack, but doesn't move from his spot. Lee swings a side kick, and again Naruto blocks it easily. "C'mon Lee… I know that you can do better than that."

Lee jumps back, before dashing forward again, this time even faster than before. Naruto's ears twitch in anticipation, tracking Lee's footsteps as he moves. Naruto turns as Le appears behind him, grabbing the in motion fist, a boom resounding throughout the room.

Naruto then throws his free fist forward, catching Lee in the gut. Lee winces and jumps back before rushing forward once more; and once again, Naruto is ready for him. They begin trading blows, each one causing a small boom to be heard. They eventually jump apart. Lee looks to Gai, a silent question in his eyes, earning a nod. Lee then jumps back, then up to the top of the giant stone statue. He then lowers his ankle warmers, revealing 'training' weights.

He unclasps the weights and sets them down before fixing his warmers. He then stands up, grasping the weights, one in each hand. "Ahh… much better." He says before dropping the weights. All eyes follow the weights until they hit the ground… causing a massive explosion of gravel, stone, concrete and dirt, causing the entire building to shake.

 _'Geez Gai… got enough weight on the poor kid?'_ Naruto asks himself, while the entire arena, minus himself and team nine sweat-drop. _'Okay then, I can remove some weights as well… though nowhere what you've got.'_ He thinks, bending down to remove his sandals. He then reaches under his shirt to deactivate the gravity seal, which is almost always active, before removing his shirt, causing a number of the girls to begin drooling at his build, causing him to roll his eyes. He then begins bouncing on the balls of his feet, before popping his neck and knuckles.

* * *

Gai watches Naruto's reaction to Lee's weight removal. Since their last spar, the weights have been significantly increased. Naruto's reaction isn't quite what Gai expects it to be though. He watches with curiosity as Naruto pulls off his sandals and shirt, placing them outside the arena. _'Interesting… it seems that Naruto-kun does a little weight training as well.'_

* * *

"You done up there Lee, or have you got more weights to remove? Or should I come to you?" Naruto asks.

Lee's response is to blur from atop the statue. He pretty much vanishes from sight, he is moving so fast.

Naruto closes his eyes and focuses chakra to his ears. He listens intently, trying to determine Lee's location. Surprisingly, he's moving so fast, that he's making such a level of sound, that Naruto is unable to detect it. _'Hmm… this could be tough.'_ He thinks, pumping even more chakra to his ears while closing off his sense of smell to enhance his other senses.

* * *

The Genin watch as Naruto seems to be doing nothing, however, Obito seems something that the others do not. Yuu, Hiruzen and Kakashi all see it as well; Naruto's hair twitching from his ears. _'Smart… since he can't see Lee, he's going to_ hear _Lee.'_ Obito thinks.

"Why is Naruto just standing there? Why doesn't he do something?" Sakura asks, voicing a number of the Genins' same thoughts.

Obito sighs. "Because as of this exact moment, anything he does will be useless. He has no idea where Lee currently is, so what he's doing is trying to sense him out. So just watch and see what happens."

Naruto concentrates, and then he hears it… a whisper of a whisper; ultra-faint footsteps and wind-breakage. He smirks. _'Gotcha. I may not be able to_ see _you… but that doesn't mean I can't find you another way.'_

He then pivots and sidesteps an axe kick that slams into the ground, right where he had been a moment before. He twists and slams his elbow into Lee's side, knocking the wind from him. Lee quickly speeds away, with Naruto hot on his tail, both pretty much invisible to everyone watching.

Naruto juts out, hitting Lee in the chest just as Lee swings, hitting Naruto in the face. The two taijutsu users continuously trade blows. Eventually Naruto lands a blow that sends Lee tumbling. Lee skips across the arena floor become coming to a dead stop, via slamming face first into the wall. He peels himself off the wall and stands, a bit wobbly, his head still spinning.

Naruto stands, watching Lee as he shakes his head to clear his vision. Lee's vision settles and he looks at Naruto impressed before lunging once more, opening the first gate as he goes. He speed increases causing Naruto to lose track of him once more. He focuses his hearing once more, but to no avail. _'Fine, I guess it's my turn for a little trick.'_ He thinks closing his eyes and reopens then, his _Akumagan_ blazing.

He scans the room once more and catches a faint glimpse of Lee, who quickly vanishes. He focuses more, but with Lee moving around as much and as fast as he is, is only allowing Naruto catch minute glimpses of him. _'Well… that's better than nothing… I guess.'_

Lee rushes at Naruto via a random pattern of zigzagging so as to thrown Naruto off of his exact location. He gets in, lands a blow, before backing off. He then rinses and repeats, slowly battering and bruising Naruto. He opens the second gate and continues to assault the silverette.

Naruto does what he can to fend off Lee's destructive onslaught, but is unable to keep up with Lee's speed. _'This is getting annoying. I need to find a way to even the odds. There's always the Bijū Cloak, but is it worth pulling out that trump card just yet?'_ He question himself, before getting knocked off of his feet and launched into the air.

"Surprised? Ready for a 'thrilling ride of pain'?" Lee asks, his bandages unravelling the wrapping around Naruto, binding him. Lee then grabs Naruto, pivots in midair and twists, dragging Naruto with him as the spin faster and faster. Gravity drags the duo down and moments before impact, Lee jumps away with Naruto slamming headfirst into the ground, debris flying everywhere.

When the dust finally settles, Naruto can be seen in a crater, his feet suspended in the air over his body with his head buried in the ground. Lee then lands, one leg bent under him, the other outstretched as we watches to see what happens.

Naruto flops forward, curling in on himself. His knees touch the ground and he plants his hands palm down as he yanks his head from the ground, shaking the dust from it. He blinks and sneeze, before looking at Lee. "Really Lee? The **_Omote Renge_**? That actually hurt… A few more of those, and I might be in trouble." He says, pulling himself to his feet, his bones creaking in protest. He pops his neck and flexes his joins. "So… you ready for round two?"

* * *

Team nine stares at Naruto in disbelief. "D… Did Naruto just take an Omote Renge and get up like it barely even phased him?" Tenten asks.

"I think so… "I'm not even sure that I could walk away from one of those most youthful attacks that easily. Naruto-kun made it look easy, but I believe he is beginning to feel the wear of such an intense battle." Gaia replies.

Sakura raises an eyebrow. "I don't really get it. What's so special about that attack?"

"The Lotus… possibly the strongest taijutsu techniques know. There are three versions of it, with one of them being even one that I will never attempt to perform. I've only known one person to ever perform the third version… that man down on the floor – the proctor – Yuuzuki Tataki." Gai says.

"The Lotus, however, is a double-edged sword, as are the prerequisites to even use the techniques. The Eight Inner Gates… a forbidden technique that forces the body beyond its natural limits via chakra. The Gates are not a normal technique that can just be learned, they need to be trained to utilize. They don't work the same way that ninjutsu does, as they are taijutsu-based. They force the body to move faster, hit harder, and generate more chakra to be put into attacks.

"The Lotus utilizes the boosts given by the Inner Gates. At one Gate, the **_Omote Renge_** becomes available. At three Gates, the **_Ura Renge_** , and at Eight Gates – possibly the strongest and most devastating taijutsu technique known, right next to **_Yagai (_** _Night Guy)_ – the **_Saishū Renge._** " Gai finishes.

"But as Gai said, using the Gates has its drawbacks. It pretty much destroys the body as it's utilized, hence its classification as a kinjutsu." Kakashi says, turning to face Gai. "How many can Lee use, currently, Gai?"

Gai hesitates, before sighing. "Five. He can use up to the Fifth Gate."

* * *

Lee stares at Naruto in surprise. He blinks twice, before turning to look at Gai, who looks back with a gaze that seems to say, 'do what you think is the right thing to do.' He then turns back to Naruto. "To be honest Naruto-san. I was saving this to use if I went up against Neji, but, I think you'll make for a good exception." He says, before closing his eyes and focusing, veins bulging on his forehead. **_"Sei to Shō no mon… Atai!_** (Gates of Life and Pain… Open!)" He says, his chakra skyrocketing, his skin turning red. He then digs deeper. **_"Tomon…Atai!_** _(Gate of Limit… Open!)"_ He says, as again his chakra jumps, his body now a deep crimson and surrounded by a green glow, his face riddled with veins and his hair standing straight up. Then he moves.

One moment he's there, the next he's gone and Naruto is airborne the wind knocked from him, the ground just now erupting into rubble. Naruto is then kicked again and again, higher and higher. Lee appears above him before drop kicking him, no mercy showing in the empty white eyes of his. Naruto hurtles towards the ground before he is stopped a foot from crashing into it before soaring upwards once more. Lee side-kicks him, launching him across the room. Lee then appears, deflecting him back the way he came. Again and again, Naruto gets hammered around through the air over the arena floor, booms resounding over and over.

Eventually Naruto digs deeps and focuses on the pool of Kurama's chakra, and manipulates it, beginning to coat it around himself. Lee then sends him downwards like a missile. As soon as he's a centimeter above the ground, his Bijū Cloak flares into existence. **_"Ura Renge!"_**

Naruto slams into the ground, throwing chunks of the arena floor hurtling through the air and creating a massive plume of dust. The arena rattles hap-hazardously, causing nearly all the Genin to stumble and fall down, with a handful managing to grab the railing to steady themselves while the Chūnin and higher use their chakra to remain in place. Lee lands on the ground ungracefully, losing his balance before clumsily getting into a shaky crouch, his body in agony from using the attack and opening as many Gates as he did.

As the debris begins to clear, everyone waits to see the outcome of Lee insane attack. A minute late, a massive crater the size of the arena in its entirety can be seen. However there is no sign of Naruto. Lee slumps backwards, thinking that he's victorious.

Yuu blinks unbelieving. _'Unbelievable… Naruto-kun actually lost…'_ He thinks. "Winner by knock—" He starts, before being interrupted. "Not so fast… ow… Kami dammit." A voice is heard from the bottom of the crater.

Naruto pulls himself achingly to his feet and looks up. He's easily thirty feet deep. He crouches building up chakra, his muscles screaming in protest. He then jumps… straight up and out of the hole, soaring into the air, before eventually landing heavily and ungracefully. "Don't count me out just yet nīchan." He says, grimacing in pain. _'Oh man… I'm going to be feeling this later. The only thing really keeping me up is my Cloak. It absorbed most of the kinetic force from the impact.'_

Everyone stares at the aura of golden fire surrounding Naruto, in a mixture of surprise, disbelief, shock, awe and any of the other emotions that mean disbelief and the like… or just all of them at once. "Okay… I gotta admit Lee, that one hurt… a lot. I'm only still standing due to my Cloak, which absorbed most of the impact and dispersed it around me, explaining the depth of the hole. Although, the way you're looking, I doubt you could even stand if you wanted to."

Lee tries to prove Naruto wrong by standing, but his body just won't listen to his wishes. "Yeah... I actually can't really even move right now. I never thought that the **_Ura Renge_** would exhaust me so heavily. So yeah… I can't get up, which means that I can't continue." He says, barely managing to turn his head enough to see Yuu, his body screaming in protest. "Yuu-sama, I concede this match of youthfulness. I know when I am beaten, and I believe I'm currently beaten in every sense of the word."

Yuu nods in admiration, knowing that Naruto would not easily do the same if he were in Lee's position… even though he technically _is_ in Lee's position. "Winner by forfeit… Naruto Tataki." He says. "And with that final battle complete, this series of preliminaries has been concluded. Congratulations to all of those who will be advancing into the finals. To those who didn't succeed, don't take this as a loss, take it as a lesson that there is always room to improve. Now if you would all come down…actually, wait a few minutes while we repair the floor." Yuu says, sweat-dropping as he realizes there won't be enough room to have the Genin stand.

About ten minutes later, the floor has been repaired enough to allow adequate standing space. "Now then. If you all would come down, I believe that the Hokage has a few words to say. A few minutes later, all of the Genin are standing before the Hokage.

"Do you all know the reason why we have the Chūnin Exams in other villages?" Hiruzen asks, and when no one responds. "It is so that we can foster friendships between the other villages. To allow the other nations to see the up and coming youth that will be helping to serve them in the future. We do the exams in other villages to foster trust in between nations. Trust that ends up helping other nations in the long run in times of crisis. These exams are done in part so that those who will hire you all can get a first-hand glimpse of each of your individual skills. That is why we do the exams in other villages.

"The final part of these exams will be in one month's time. Use that time to train and develop new skills. Use it to complete any unperfected techniques. Use it to deal with issues that need to be dealt with, but keep in mind that everyone else will be doing the same. You won't be the only one getting stronger – your competition will be as well. And with that said, I leave you to your Jōnin instructors. Dismissed." Hiruzen says.

 ** _(A/N: I'm not bothering to have the Genin draw lots, primarily because when I wrote this monster of a chapter, I somewhat forgot about it not to mention a handful are exactly the same, but do know that some of the fights have been randomized how I want them to be. =P)_**

As the Jōnin begin to collect their Genin and file out of the arena, Obito and Naruto move off to the side. Naruto's Bijū Cloak is still active, but its glow is no longer as intense as before, signaling that it will be dropping at any moment. As the final team exits, Yuu moves towards the duo. "You two did well, especially you, Naruto-kun. Taking an **_Omote Renge_** as well as an ** _Ura Renge,_** and still end up standing… that's pretty damn impressive in my books."

Naruto grins lightly. "Thanks nīchan, but like I said, my Cloak absorbed most of the **_Ura Renge's_** damage. Without it, Lee would've won." He says, as his Cloak flickers.

"Yea, you were really good Naruto. I wasn't even able to keep up with Lee as he moved, yet you seemed to be able to." Obito says, as Naruto's Cloak flickers again.

Naruto nods. "That, to be honest, was not easy. He started moving so fast, that even with my enhanced hearing I couldn't track him. I eventually used my _Akumagan_ , but was only able to catch glimpses of him, which is why I was unable to avoid his attacks. He moved erratically, never completely going and remaining in a linear direction. He kept zigzagging around, and that made it difficult to track him." He says, his Cloak dimming even more.

"Either way, you two did very well. Much better than I was expecting at some points." And as soon as those words leave Yuu's mouth, Naruto's Bijū Cloak completely fades. Naruto blinks once, before collapsing where he stands, unconscious. Yuu shakes his head. "You really know how to overdo it, you know that Naruto-kun?" He kneels, and picks up Naruto, slinging him over his shoulder, while Obito goes to gather Naruto's gear, before returning to Yuu. Yuu places his hand on Obito's shoulder, and they **_shunshin_** out of the arena and back to their room at the ANBU HQ.

The trio appears in a poof of smoke, and Yuu moves to Naruto's bed, laying him down on it. Obito tosses Naruto's gear down at the foot of the bed, a dull thunk being heard. Obito examines the vest and pulls out the thermos of Kitsune stew as well as Naruto's ninjato. He stands, shaking his head, and sets them down on the dresser.

"So that you know Obito… you might be stuck on the futon for a few days. I have a feeling Naruto-kun's gonna wanna sleep on his own bed after that crazy battle." Yuu says. "Even when the stew wears off…"

Obito nods, and then the two go about their own business, getting things done that need to be done.

 ** _===Two Weeks Later===_**

Naruto is just exiting the shower when he notices Jiraiya… well, not so much sees or hears the man, as much as he smells the man. _'Heh… looks like I chose a good day to finish off that stew._ ' He thinks, following his nose and finding Jiraiya in the laundry room. "What are you doing?"

Jiraiya jerks with a start, before turning to face Naruto. "Oh, it's only you Naruto. I was just looking around y'alls place. I came to help you out, but you were in the shower."

Naruto blinks. "How did you even find this place? Nīchan and I haven't told you, and I know Obito couldn't've since he doesn't know where here is."

"Actually, it was Kakashi who brought me here. Y'all don't privy many people to this place, do you?"

"It's not my choice. It's nīchan's. Only Kakashi, nīchan, our family doctor, Jijī and I know where the entrances are to this place. I think a few other ANBU and maybe Iruka-san may know as well." He says. "So… have you figured out how to repair my seal yet?"

"Possibly, and it's going to be a longshot, but I think I may be able to do something. However… the seal may no longer be the same anymore. So you still want to go along with this?"

Naruto nods. "Like I said about two-weeks ago, I don't like being disconnected from Kurama. Since I lost contact with him, I've only heard those little snippets while I was fighting you in Bijū-Cloak Kurama Mode."

"That could possibly be because of the large amount of the Kyūbi's chakra that you were drawing upon. It could've opened a gap large enough for you and the Kyūbi to communicate, even if it was only bits and pieces."

Naruto nods. "That's what I thought too. He also managed to pool a large amount of his chakra into me when that connection was made, so I had a large amount available for the exams. I used almost all of what he gave me during my fight, having to use it to tank the damage from an **_Ura Renge_** , and it used a large chunk of what I had at the time. What I did have left was used to keep the Cloak up long enough to finish the preliminaries without collapsing from exhaustion."

"You tanked an **_Ura Renge_** and act like it wasn't a big deal… Are you crazy or something? Or do you just have that much of a pain tolerance?" Jiraiya asks, unreadable emotions in his eyes.

"Actually, I tanked an **_Omote Renge_** and an ** _Ura Renge_** to be honest. Let me say this though… that was definitely not a pleasant experience. My own physical endurance kept me going after the first finisher, but I had to resort to my Cloak to stay up after the second one. That one hurt… a lot. It hurt just to stand, let alone move. But that's not why you are here. I've got about three hours left from the last helping of Kitsune stew. That means you have the same amount of time to do what you're gonna do with the seal."

Jiraiya blinks. "Right… uh, yea, sorry for changing the topic. Head to your bed and remove your shirt. I'll also need some fūin tools, if you have any."

Naruto grins. "Fūin tools? Oh, you're going to love this…" He says, exiting the laundry room, Jiraiya following. He heads to his bed and kneels, reaching under it and pulling out a black-felt box with the kanji for seal on it. He picks it up, standing, before turning to Jiraiya. "It's been a while since I've opened this. This is my personal fūin kit, which I assembled myself. I gathered everything inside little by little. Some of it, I've even made myself." He says, handing the box to Jiraiya before proceeding to remove his shirt.

Jiraiya opens the box whistling appreciatively. "Damn kid. This is everything and fūinjutsu user could ever need… and more. You seriously made this yourself?" He asks, earning a nod. "Impressive. Yeah, this'll defiantly work, you got any seal sheets?"

"There are seals on the lid. They're a bit crude, but they were my early works. They have seal sheets sealed within them. The numbers next to the seal represent the paper sizes. Do you think you'll need the Uzumaki Scroll?"

Jiraiya shakes his head. "No, I don't think I'll need it." He says, pulling out a scroll from one of his pockets. He places the fūin kit on the bedside table and unseals the contents of the scroll, a multitude of papers appearing and almost falling to the floor. He then looks to Naruto. "You ready? Oh, one more thing." He then summons Gamatora. "You'll need to completely unlock the seal for me to work on it. I could do it myself, but I'll let you do it."

Gamatora unrolls and Naruto places his dominant hand on the box near the top right, gaining the key to his seal. He then proceeds to completely unlock his seal. Once done, his body goes rigid and numb and his eyes cloud over. Jiraiya then pushes Naruto onto his back and begins quickly starting his work on the seal on Naruto's gut, even as bold black lines slowly creep outward from the seal's location.

Ninety minutes later Jiraiya adds the final touches to the seal, Naruto's body almost completely covered in black lines from the seal having been completely unlocked. As soon as he finishes his last stroke he stands and backs away, sighing, and examining his work as well as looking over Naruto. The black lines halt in place, before slowly beginning to retreat and return towards Naruto's gut.

Naruto's seal is mostly the same, with Jiraiya having more-or-less replaced the **_Hakke Fūin_** with a similarly strengthed seal. Instead of eight branches, there are now ten. Around the branches is an additional infrastructure-seal that will help prevent the new seal from deteriorating. It also acts as a buffer of the original buffer, helping to purify the Kyūbi's chakra to a devastating degree, should Naruto wish to use it.

A new array of miniature seals surround the infrastructure seal at twelve key points, each one a miniature chakra storage seal – similar to a battery – that'll hold about five minutes worth of purified Bijū chakra should Naruto ever need the boost. All-in-all, Naruto's seal is the most advanced seal in the nations, and most likely the most sophisticated seal that Jiraiya has ever made.

The toad sage is quite pleased with his handiwork and silently applauds himself. However, the other seals on Naruto's body he is not quite so fond of. He assumes that the seals were taxing Naruto's body heavily, so he examined them when they started appearing. And his assumptions were proven correct as there was an extra on each seal that was, more-or-less, leeching on Naruto's chakra That leeching was possibly the initial cause of the deterioration of the seal on Naruto's gut, though the new seal with help balance them out, so he leaves them be.

As the lines slowly return closer to the main seal, Naruto start to slowly regain control of his body and his eyes slowly un-cloud. He moves his eyes to look around, still not in total control of his motions.

"Welcome back kid. I'm finished with your seal and it should be much better than ever before." Jiraiya says as he move to help Naruto into a seated position.

Naruto's eyes look down towards his gut before returning to Jiraiya and he tests his jaw before speaking. "You've changed it. What do the new arrays do? And what are all the black lines?"

"The large one around the primary seal help balance and control the seal so that your other seals don't eat away at it. They were leeching off of the main on since they had an unnecessary segment in their designs. The additional braches directly around the spiral help act as a purification buffer, so you will be able to get more out of the Kyūbi's chakra when you use it. And the twelve small seals will gradually accumulate that purified chakra and will act as a back reserve of sorts, kind of similar to Tsunade's **_Ninpō Sōzō Saisei: Byakugō no Jutsu_** _(Ninja Art Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Technique),_ imbuing you with an hour's worth of chakra should you ever be running low." Jiraiya explains. "The lines seem to be a byproduct of the failure of the previous seal, the **_Hakke Fūin_** , thought, I can't really be certain, but they will eventually disappear given enough time."

Naruto nods, finally having regained some of his motor functions, before closing his eyes and entering his mindscape. The first thing he notices is that it's no longer the clearing surrounded by trees, having reverted to the sewer-esque scenery of his youth before he had initially changed it… with a few differences.

The first is that the walls, ceiling and floor are more of a dark stainless-steel color, with the floor being grated, the water underneath it. The walls are etched at segmented intervals with a variety of intricate designs. The next is the sealing gate. Instead of its normal red hue, it's made of midnight-black steel, intricate curling designs rather than straight bars, each half mirroring the other. The final however causes Naruto to relax and smile. Behind the closed gates, asleep, is Kurama. He moves to and slips through a large opening in the designs and moves up to the fox. He then leans to and rests against him, sinking to the dry-stone floor behind the gate, the floor being raised up so that the water won't ever reach where the two are. He then closes his eyes and exits his mindscape.

He opens his eyes and looks to Jiraiya who seems to be studying him. "Arigato Jiraiya. Kurama is back and the seal is repaired, not to mention better than before. But one question… are you going to create a new key, or will the seal still use the old one?" He asks, holding his hand up, blue flames blazing into life at the tips.

"The key should work, but only once. Make sure that you are ready before you unlock it though. Once you do, it cannot be relocked. There won't be a second chance." Jiraiya replies.

Naruto nods, grabbing his nearby shirt, slipping it on before slipping off the bed to stretch. He then turns to Jiraiya. "You've been here a while, are you hungry at all?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"We can go out to eat, or… I could prepare a mean. Nīchan always cooks, meaning I never get a chance to." Naruto says, before his eyes wide. "Oh crap, I just remembered something…" He says reaching under his shirt and unsealing a scroll.

Jiraiya eyes the scroll. "And what's that?"

Naruto smirks. When I told you that I never really get a chance to cook, I remember something that I had told the same thing to Obito and team seven in the exams… the same night I sealed this." He says, unsealing the scroll before holding up a massive pelt for Jiraiya to see.

"Is that… a Teiō-Usagi (Emperor Rabbit) pelt? How the hell did you get you hand on one of those?" Jiraiya asks, staring at the pelt in awe.

Naruto grins. "So that's what it was called… I got it in the second exam since I ended up killing one. So that night, I skinned it and cooked it, sharing the meat with team seven and Obito."

"You know how many people out there would pay some serious ryō for one of those pelts?" Jiraiya asks.

Naruto nods. "I know, but I actually have a plan for some of it. I have a gift in mind that will utilize some of it."

Jiraiya moves to the pelt and feels is. "Impressive. You did an incredible job skinning it. I doubt many could achieve the skinning quality that you achieved. Even if you take some, it'll still go for a good price." He says. "You mention something about food though?"

Naruto reseals the pelt followed by the scroll. "Yeah, would you like a home-cooked meal, or would you rather we go out and eat?"

"Let's go out for something. I'll let you choose where."

Naruto then moves to put on his sandals before moving to Jiraiya and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Before we go eat, I need to run a quick errand and check on something." He says before the duo disappear in a flicker of silver.

The two appear outside of Takiru's shop, and Jiraiya looks at Naruto in surprise. "Was that the **_Hiraishin_**?"

Naruto nods and enters the shop. "Just a minute, I be out in a moment." A familiar voice calls and Naruto moves to the front counter, Jiraiya following behind, before meandering to look at the variety of weapons and tools. Tenten comes from the back of the store and spots Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, what are you doing here?" She asks.

"Hey Tenten. I'm actually here to pick up an order I made on the first day of the exams. Has it come in yet?"

"An order… let me check." Tenten says before skimming through a booklet of existing orders. "Ahh… Naruto Tataki, one ANBU regulation ninjato." She says before glancing in the back. "I believe it has come in, let me go and grab it." She says, before disappearing into the back.

Naruto moves to Jiraiya. "See anything that catches your eye?"

"Not really. These are all well-made weapons, but nothing is really standing out to me. Why do you ask?" Comes the reply as the elder male turns to Naruto.

"Because nīchan and I are regulars here. I could probably score you a discount on a majority of the things sold here. To be honest, most of the ANBU's arsenal comes from this very shop. Nīchan and I but in bulk and provide it to the Black-Ops."

"You guys are the ones to supply the ANBU? But, doesn't that get expensive?"

"Sometimes, but not too often. The two of us make good money on the missions we do together." Naruto plies as he moves back towards the counter as Tenten returns.

"One ANBU regulation ninjato." Tenten says, laying the sleek black box on the counter. "But don't you already have one? Why do you need another one?"

"It's not for me, it's actually going to be a gift. Their birthday is coming up in a few days." Naruto replies and pulls out his money purse before paying for the blade. Tenten pushes the box to Naruto and takes the money, with Naruto sealing it away as she turns.

"So whose birthday is it?" Tenten asks, back still turned.

"You saw him in the exams. My teammate, Obito."

Tenten looks at Naruto an eyebrow raised. "Obito? But why get him such an expensive gift?"

"Because of his unique situation. He's been through some tough times, so nīchan and I are kind of spoiling him." Naruto says, just as a cacophony of loud noise resounds throughout the shop.

"My bad. I got a little too close while examining a blade and ended up bumping into them." Jiraiya calls out, causing the two Genin to sweat-drop.

"Hey! If you damage anything, then you gotta buy it old man." Tenten shouts.

Naruto scoffs. "Don't mind him too much Tenten, Jiraiya's a bit of a klutz sometimes, but he means well."

"Jiraiya? As in the Sannin, Jiraiya?"

Naruto nods. "Yeah, he finished doing something for me, so we decided to head out for lunch. We stopped by here first so I can pick up my order though."

"So what's he like? You fought him right? So how strong is he?"

Naruto then explains what he's willing to discuss with Tenten, just as Jiraiya comes up behind the silverette. "Um, Naruto, weren't we going out for lunch? Or are you going to talk to your girlfriend all day?" He asks.

Naruto's ears twitch, and he jabs his elbow back, catching Jiraiya in the gut, before turning to face the Sannin. "She's not my girlfriend Jiraiya. And she was asking questions about your sorry self."

Jiraiya rubs his gut. "Geez kid, no need to be so defensive. I didn't know that she was talking about little old me. What does she want to know?"

Naruto rolls his eyes, turning back to face the other Genin, a silent apology in his eyes. "See you around Tenten. Tell your father that I said hi and to thank him for the order." He says, grabbing Jiraiya's and half-dragging him from the shop, before disappearing in a flicker of silver as soon as the exit.

They appear outside of Naruto's favorite noodle shop in a flicker of silver. "Do try to keep your comments to yourself, Jiraiya." Naruto says, releasing the Sannin's arm and entering and moving to a stool. "Teuchi-san, two bowls of the works… and make 'em big." He calls out.

"Sure thing Naruto, two extra-large bowls coming up." Teuchi calls back as Jiraiya takes a seat, before looking at the options. "One bowl of beef ramen as well Teuchi-san." Jiraiya looks to Naruto. "How'd you know what I was about to order?"

"Intuition. Kidding… nah, you just seem like a beef kind of person. Me though? I prefer the miso-pork, but Teuchi-san makes a really good bowl of the works. I usually order at least one bowl whenever I visit. You should try it sometime."

Jiraiya nods and ten minutes later Teuchi and Ayame appear, carrying three bowls; the large ones going to Naruto, and the smaller one to Jiraiya. "Here you two go, enjoy." Ayame says.

"Itadakimasu (Thank you for the food)." The two say before grabbing their hashi (chopsticks) and beginning to eat. "So Teuchi-san, how's that other shop? Is it still making service difficult?" Naruto asks.

"No. Surprisingly about a week ago, the place packed up and moved across the village… at least, that's what I've heard. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"

Naruto swallows before grinning mischievously. "Maybe…" He says letting his answer hang, before chuckling. "I'm kidding, yeah I know what happened. I stopped by it after I left here a few weeks ago, and I wasn't exactly pleased with the results. It was on the way to the Hokage Tower, so I thought I'd drop an 'anonymous' tip about their services. If they're still active, then they must have changed the way things are done there, because their food quality was bad." He says, before beginning to explain his experience to the Ichirakus. When he finishes, all that's left is the broth of his second bowl, which he quickly downs. "One more bowl, Teuchi-san, a miso-pork this time."

Teuchi nods, before disappearing to prepare the order. "You know, you didn't have to do that for us Naruto. But thanks. Since that shop moved, we've been slowly returning to normal." Ayame says.

"Hey, I was just looking out for my favorite food place. You guys have looked out for me pretty much my whole life. I'm just repaying my dues."

Teuchi brings out and sets the bowl down in front of Naruto, who begins eating. Jiraiya listens to the conversation as he eats, though nowhere near as fast at the silverette. "So who's this, Naruto?"

"This is Jiraiya, my godfather, as well as one of the Sannin."

"Well it's a pleasure to serve someone so renowned throughout the nations." Teuchi says.

"There's no need to be so formal, please, treat me as though I were any other customer." Jiraiya replies.

Teuchi returns to the back to begin preparing some more ingredients. Naruto and Jiraiya finish their bowls and Naruto pays for the meals, tip included. "Thanks again for the food Teuchi-san." Naruto calls out as he and Jiraiya exit the stall.

"So what are you going to do now, Naruto?"

"I guess, keep training some more. Maybe help Obito train some. He's going to need it, no matter who his opponent is going to be." He says, before the two split up, Jiraiya heading off in one direction while Naruto disappears in a flicker of silver.

 ** _(A/N: I know very little when it comes to painting metals and whatnot, but I thought I would type whatever was on my mind, and this what I came up with. Surprisingly, it's actually somewhat similar to how it's actually done, yet different as well, even though it was typed almost a year before I watched how it's actually done.)_**

He reappears in his room and makes sure that Obito isn't around before unsealing the box with the ninjato. He heads into the back where his ANBU gear is located, after unlocking the blood seal that he and Yuu use to stash their sensitive equipment. He enters and grabs a box, an empty tub and a box of inks. He also grabs some fine brushes, a sharpening stone, and a course stone. He then heads back to his bed and grabs the ninjato, before exiting the room and heading down the hall one door over, before entering.

The room is a storage room for the excess tools that he and Yuu are unable to stock, with a table in the center and a few smaller ones off to the side. A single light-bulb hangs from the ceiling above the main table. He shuts the door and locks it, turning and moving to the table, where he sets the items down. He moves to fill the tub in the sink within the room and fills it about half-way. Once returning to the table he proceed to pour a dark, almost blood-red, ink into the tub and mixes it, making sure it's done evenly.

He then pulls the ninjato from the box and begins to disassemble it. He carefully lays all the parts out on one of the small tables, taking the blade to the main table; where he proceeds to scrape the metal with the course stone before honing the blade, and eventually immersing it in the ink-water.

While the blade sets, he unseals the rabbit pelt and wraps it around the sheath. He draws a kunai, cutting of a little more than the required amount, before resealing the rest away. He drops a **_hiraishin_** seal before disappearing and reappearing in his room and going to grab another tub, before returning to the other room. He fills this new tub before adding black ink, before taking the pelt he cut to the sink to thoroughly clean it.

After vigorously scrubbing it front and back, as well as drying it as best as he can, he returns to the tubs, setting the pelt down, and beginning to thin it, making it more akin to felt. Once done he moves the pelt into the black ink-water. He checks on the blade before proceeding to work on the pommel. He undoes the pure-black wrappings, and swaps them out with a crisscrossing pattern of dark-crimson and midnight-black. The then proceeds to paint a fully matured _Sharingan_ on a white strip of fabric and applying it near the top of the hilt, snug against the guard.

He cuts a small amount from the pommel and adds a small compass, similar to the one within his own. He checks the blade once more, before carefully removing it from the ink-water. Then he sets it to the side, making sure to keep it from lying flat so that it can dry. He then proceeds to store the ink-water in a jug for another day, before proceeding to clean the tub. He fills it once more with water and sets it the side.

He pulls a soft sponge-brush and a container filled with a clear content from the box and sets them near the blade before returning to check on the pelt. He returns it to the ink-water and leaves the room to go and get a drink. He returns and gently feels the surface of the blade, and satisfied, picks up the sponge-brush and begins to coat the blade with the contents of the container. Closing the container once finished, he goes to wash off the brush before thoroughly drying it, before once more checking the pelt.

Unsatisfied with the darkness, he removes the pelt, adds a bit more ink and mixes it, before adding the pelt once more. He checks the blade before moving the clean-water tub to the table and proceeds to add a dark, almost shadow-grey ink to the water and mixes it thoroughly, before carefully setting the blade in the ink-water.

He then pulls something from the box that he had found on the ground a while back, but never had a use for until now, and never really wondered why he bothered to pick it up. It's a thin, pure silver, metal Uchiha Crest. It is fairly battered and dented, but he thinks he can mend it enough to be decent. He slowly works the damage from it and then cleans and buffs it before painting it the signature red and white, and the trimming and back of it black. He checks the pelt once more, and this time satisfied, removes it from the ink-water and carefully hangs it up to dry, placing the tub underneath it to catch and droplets.

He checks on the blade before returning to finish working on the hilt and crest. He adds a second coat to the crest, before coating it in a clear layer to protect it. Once finished with the crest, he checks the blade once more, before pulling it from the ink-water. He examines it from multiple angles, checking to make sure that it mimics his own ninjato properly. Satisfied, he sets it off to the side to completely dry, before storing the blue ink-water and cleaning the tub.

He checks on the pelt, but knows that it won't be dry anytime soon. He then moves back to the main table and proceeds to rebuild the hilt. Once done he moves to the blade and checks on it. He then takes it back to the tables where he proceeds to polish it before proceeding to fully reconstruct the ninjato. Then he pulls a small container from the box and applies a small amount of the contents to the back of the crest, before applying the crest to the base of the visible blade, pressed as snuggly against the guard as he can make it.

He then proceeds to cut a portion from the sheath housing where the blade slides into it. He carefully adjusts the size of the addition until the sheath clicks snuggly into place around the blade. He then leaves the sheathed ninjato on the table with the adhesive as he begins packing all the other items up, before returning to their room and storing the box back in their hidden room, which he locks once more.

He then goes to shower, stripping before he even enters the bathroom, then turns on the water. He quickly washes before sitting on the shower floor and closing his eyes, entering his mindscape. He moves to the back gates and examines the new seal, before looking at Kurama. "Hey Kurama, you awake?"

Kurama's eyes open and he blinks, staring at Naruto. "What's up kit? You're interrupting my nap." He yawns for emphasis.

"Just thought I'd see how you're doing. We're were separated from communicating for around two weeks after all."

Kurama blinks. "Two weeks? It sure didn't feel that long, but then again, times slows to a crawl in here. So what's up, what do you need?"

"How about a change of scenery? Aren't you sick of this stuffy sewer, even with the new paint-job?"

"Meh, at least it's not like how it used to be. There used to be water everywhere, even here behind the bars. At least this new sewer has the courtesy to keep my cell dry. But it would be nice to be able to move around a bit more."

Naruto smirks before closing his eyes, concentrating. "Then how about this?" The sewer fades before changing into somewhere familiar to both of them. Coarse, umber dirt as far as the eyes can see appears. Trees of every species and colors imaginable sprout, plants as well. In the far distance is a tall mountain, monumental in terms of its size, that if viewed from just the right angle, somewhat resembles the head of a fox. In the other direction, a variety of buildings can be seen, both small and colossal. Kurama's cage vanishes followed soon by a collar appearing around Kurama's neck, the main seal dangling from it like a name tag medallion. Naruto then opens his eyes. "Seem familiar?"

Kurama looks around in awe, not having been to this location in many, many years, decades even. "This is Mt. Enryū, kit…" He says, standing. "You even managed to simulate gravity." He looks up at the fiery orange sky with its hints of purples, red, and pink streaking across it. "You also added the eternal sunset."

"After everything you've been through, I only thought that it would be fair if you were somewhere reminiscent of your home."

"You know how I taught you the Kitsune art of shifting? Well, did you know that I am the only pure-blooded Kitsune capable of shifting into that of a human? Or something somewhat akin to a human?"

Naruto stares at Kurama. "You mean that you can shift as well? What do you look like as a human?"

Kurama chuckles. "Why don't I just show you?" He asks, before beginning to shrink. Eventually he becomes bipedal and stands. When he finishes, a dark-tan skinned, mid-back length red-haired, fire-orange eyed male stands before Naruto. He stands naked, never having bothered to deal with clothes in the past. Atop his head are two, full-sized fox ears that match his hair color. But the real unique addition is the fluffy, red tail wrapped around his waist. Around his neck is a thick, black necklace with a medallion embossed with the kanji for seal on it.

Naruto stares at Kurama. "Your hair almost matches kāchan's. You could probably even pass for an Uzumaki, if you didn't have the ears and tail as well as purple eyes instead of orange. Though, you look pretty badass to be honest.

Kurama pops his neck, knuckles, back and a variety of other joints. "Ahh, much better. It's been far too long since I've taken on this form. It feels kinda weird, having been in my Kitsune form for so long."

"You know Kurama, if you want, we could undo the seal and return things to how they were before things started happening."

Kurama looks Naruto in the eyes. "It's up to you kit, but know that this seal prevents you from accessing you forms and the _Akumagan's_ full potential while it is still in place.

Naruto blinks, before focusing. His dōjutsu activates, but in a very weak form. He tries activating the Bijū Cloak and fails as well. He then tries shifting, and that too, fails. "I didn't realize that all the things that you taught me we so dependent on the seal being undone."

"Everything that I taught you was after the seal was broken. You tore off the seal and I demolished the gates."

Naruto nods. "I remember that day. It was also the day that we truly began working together. Almost eight years ago… I tore off the seal, and you helped to protect and teach me."

"So if you want to regain access to your abilities, you'll need to remove the seal once more."

Naruto nods and lifts his hand, his fingers igniting in not blue flames, but green, causing him to raise an eyebrow. He then lifts his shirt and his seal appears. He takes a deep breath before placing his fingers on his stomach and rotating his hand around the seal. For a moment nothing happens, then his body locks up, before relaxing. The necklace around Kurama's neck then shatters, dispersing into dust, followed by Naruto's _Akumagan_ flaring fully into existence.

One other thing happens that the two had somewhat forgotten about. Behind Naruto appear two figures. Kurama stares at them, and they at him, the two newcomers both sporting red faces. Naruto catches Kurama's gaze and turns, come face-to-face with his parents. He blinks, before engulfing them both in a hug.

Minato chuckles. "Whoa. What's with the sudden show of affection?" He asks as he ruffles Naruto's hair, before looking around. "Also, where are we, and why is it so hard to move around?"

Naruto steps back. "There's a lot to explain, and little time to do so." He says, before launching full throttle into his explanation of everything that had happened since their last meeting.

Minato and Kushina blink, before the red-head rushes forward, feeling his head and finding the hidden fox-ears, petting them lightly. "They're sooooo sooooft." She says ignoring Naruto's squirming to try and get away, causing Minato to chuckle. "Um, Kushina-chan, I think you're making Naruto-kun uncomfortable."

Kushina ignores Minato, and continues stroking Naruto's ears. Eventually Naruto's had enough and hi **_kawarimis_** with Minato, inciting a laugh from Kurama, while the blonde has a 'wtf' look on his face as he glares at Naruto and Kushina looks like she just lost her favorite plushie. Naruto and Kurama both laugh at their expressions.

Kushina recovers and releases Minato. "Arigatō, sochi, I got a little carried away, and ignored the fact that I was making you uncomfortable."

"It's okay kāsan. I just don't really want people touching my ears. But as I explained, things have been busy since we last talked."

Minato and Kushina then turn to Kurama. "So you've been teaching our son as well?" Minato asks.

Kurama nods. "I've only taught him one new thing since the last time that we met, and that's how to shift. The Elders at Mt. Enryū have also taught him how to utilize the regenerative properties of his chakra, so he can now mimic what I do whenever he gets injured."

"So Naruto-kun can use healing chakra now? That's a really handy technique to have. Also, I must ask… Why the hell do you not have any clothes on, dattebane?!"

Kurama blinks, looking down at his unclothed self, before looking back up. "I've never really bothered wearing clothes while like this, but if it'll make you more comfortable…" He says, vanishing in a cloud of smoke, that when it fades reveals Kurama in a dark-grey t-shirt and black sweatpants.

"Also, it's not actually healing chakra, kāsan. I may be able to heal with it, but it's more for regenerating damaged cells. Naosu is a slower, more intensive process. To a Kitsune however, it's a much easier task, hence why it is so easy for Kurama to do, than it is for me. Although, when he does it, it's all done with his own chakra."

The quartet then all stand in an awkward silence. "Well… I think that I should be going. I'll see you later, kāsan, tōsan, Kurama." Naruto says, before fading from the mindscape.

He then opens his eyes and notices that the shower water has gotten a bit chilly. He stands and stretches, turning off the water. He finishes in the bathroom before exiting then looking at the time; 16:38. _'Hmm… nīchan and Obito still aren't back yet.'_ He thinks, before grinning foxily. _'Hey Kurama, would you like to be able to roam the outside world for a little bit?'_

 _'How do you propose to accomplish that, kit?'_

 _'I was thinking… what if I made a_ **Kage Bunshin** _and gave you full control over it?'_

Kurama thinks for a minute. _'That could work, but you'll have to pump it full of chakra so that it'll last a while.'_

 _'That's not that big of an issue. When Jiraiya repaired the seal, he added an array of seals that store your chakra in a purified form as well as a purification buffer for any extra that I draw upon to make it more potent. So I was thinking on using the seals and buffer to supercharge the clone. I could also use nīchan's_ **Sora no Kage no Fune** _, so you'll be able to utilize the body and it'll take your appearance as well.'_

 _'That sounds like it might work, kit, plus it'll be nice to breathe some real air for a change.'_

Naruto then nods before going through a series of hand-seals. The twelve seals around his navel flash and he feels his body flood with Kurama's chakra. He finishes the hand-seals and feels his seal start to tingle as the buffer get to work purifying the additional chakra. **_"Tataki Ōgi: Sora no Kage no Fune."_** A poof of smoke appears that clears to reveal a cross-legged mannequin shaped like Naruto. He moves to it and places his hand on its head feeling a tug on his gut. A few seconds later the tug stops and he steps away, the feeling of the potent chakra having faded. The mannequin then begins changing in appearance, and a minute later, Kurama is sitting naked in the mannequin's place.

Kurama opens his eyes and climbs to his feet, walking around to get his blood flowing. He eventually stop in front of the silverette. "So how do I look? Any flaws?" He asks, turning and allowing Naruto to examine him.

Naruto shakes his head and grins. "Nah, you look good to be honest. Nīchan and Obito are going to be surprised when they see you. Obito's never seen you, but Nīchan's only seen your Kitsune form. It'll be interesting to see how they react." Kurama nods, his ears twitching.

Naruto looks at the clock then back to Kurama. "If you want, you could shower, though the water might not be warm at the moment. I'm going to start working on making dinner for when nīchan and Obito return. You can borrow some of nīchan's clothes, they should fit you." He says, heading to Yuu's dresser and grabbing some clean clothes, which he hands to Kurama.

Kurama nods, before heading to the bathroom and closing the door. Naruto then heads to the kitchen to prepare dinner. He unseals his box of spices and sets to work exploring what they have in stock. Eventually he decides on a Kitsune dish that shouldn't affect Yuu or Obito too seriously, but has plans to spice it differently so that they can at least taste it.

Ten minutes later Kurama exits the bathroom. He sniffs the air and grins, following his nose towards the smell. He enters the kitchen and see that sure enough, Naruto is preparing Senwataki, a Kitsune dish heavily based on beef and chicken because of the high protein content of the two meats. He watches as Naruto seasons the meats generously, but doesn't just straight up coat them. "You need a hand with anything, kit?"

Naruto turns his head, before returning to the food. "Sure. If you wouldn't mind preparing the vegetables and fruits, that would be great. You remember the procedures for this meal, right?"

"I think so. It's been a while, but I'm sure I can remember the process." Kurama says.

Naruto hands Kurama a bowl of vegetables, before setting another bowl of peppers and fruits on the counter behind him. He passes Kurama a knife and slides the trash-bin across the floor. "Make sure to use the brown counter to cut the stuff. I don't think that nīchan would be too happy if the other counters get scratched." He says, before returning to working on the meats, while Kurama gets to work on the other stuff.

Thirty minutes later, Yuu and Obito poof into the room and are greeted to the sound of meat sizzling and the aromas of spices in the air. The each look at eachother before moving to the kitchen, spotting Naruto and Kurama, whom they don't recognize working on making dinner. They easily spot the ears and fox tail though.

"Um, Naruto, what are you doing?" Yuu asks.

Naruto and Kurama turn to face Obito and Yuu before retuning back to what they were doing. "I'm making dinner nīchan. You and Obito hadn't returned yet, so Kurama and I decided to take the initiative and start cooking." Naruto replies.

The two look at Kurama. "Kurama? As the Kyūbi?" Obito asks. "But isn't the Kyūbi a massive, nine-tailed Kitsune?"

Naruto watches the meat. "Yes. I am Kurama, as well as the Kyūbi." Kurama replies. "I'm sure you're both aware of the kit's ability to shift, am I right?" He asks, earning two nods. "Well, I'm the one who taught him that skill. But, I myself, am the only Kitsune that can take the form of a human."

Yuu then looks at Naruto. "Didn't I tell you not to use that technique, Naruto?"

Naruto turns his head. "No… you told me not to use the **_Kigen_** , you never said anything about the **_Kage no Fune._** Besides, this one doesn't force your soul into a different body, it's only a vessel so that Kurama can be outside my body. He's still connected to me, he just has a body of his own to use."

"So… Kurama can shift as well? And now he can be outside of his seal? Don't you think that's kind of pushing it Naruto?" Yuu asks.

"Actually, Yuu. I barely have even a fraction of my power in this form. It's mostly just a vessel to allow me to be able to breathe some fresh air and have a little freedom. The chakra in this body I have to use sparingly, as it is what keeps this body active." Kurama replies.

After that Yuu and Obito exit the kitchen and Obito heads to take a shower, followed by Yuu once he exits. Thirty minutes pass and Naruto and Kurama finish preparing the meal. The quartet then sit down at the table to eat. "It's called Senwataki. It's a Kitsune specialty that has been tweaked a bit so that you two can consume it safely without too many issues. The meat is chicken and beef, instead of butaniku and sakana (pork and fish), which is the biggest difference. There are still some Kitsune spices though… but they only add a unique flavor to those whom can taste them." Naruto replies when asked what the dish is.

"So it is safe to consume? That's all I needed to hear." Yuu says, before beginning to eat.

"All the things that I ate while at Mt. Enryū are _safe_ to eat, it's the fact that they can alter your body if you consume enough of them. I'm still not immune to all the effects of the Kitsune foods, and I'm a partial Kitsune due to their foods."

Yuu looks at Naruto. "You're a partial Kitsune? Since when?"

"Since I have returned from Mt. Enryū. All of my enhanced sense and my ears are attributed to that fact. I told you that if I had remained there that I would likely become a full Kitsune. Although, I would've need to remain there for at least another nine years or so. But this is all speculation from the Elders."

"Actually, kit, it's all true. Do you remember Kuryō? Well, she used to be a human, a long, long time ago. They told you that no human has ever been to Mt. Enryū, but that was false. And she wasn't always called Kuryō, though no one can remember her original name." Kurama says.

"Naruto looks at Kurama. "So, you're saying that I could become a full Kitsune if I remain at Mt. Enryū? Does that mean that Kuryō can shift as well?"

"Theoretically, yes. Although, she has never wished to learn the art of shifting. She's not a pure-Kitsune, since she was once human. All the other Kitsunes are pure-bloods though, myself included. Although, as I've said, I'm the only pure-Kitsune capable of shifting." Kurama replies. "As for your question. Yes and no. Yes, because you would _become_ a Kitsune, and no, because you weren't _born_ a Kitsune."

Naruto nods and remains silent. The quartet finishes eating in silence, minus a few comments about the food here and there. After the meal, Yuu and Obito head to sit on their bed and futon respectively, while Naruto and Kurama talk quietly. A few hours later, Jinchūriki and Bijū stand up and stretch. Naruto touches Kurama on the back of the neck, feeling the accumulated chakra and additional chakra purify before flowing into Kurama. He then heads into the back room and grabs another futon and blanket for Kurama, before placing them down opposite of Obito's futon the heading to his own bed and laying down.

Kurama lays down and stares at the ceiling, his mind processing everything that has happened since he was given the ability to move outside of Naruto's mindscape. He never thought he would be sleeping outside of his hosts body anytime soon, but here he is, about to do just that. Eventually Naruto succumbs to slumber, while Kurama listens to the breathing of the three others in the room. Eventually, his body succumbs to slumber as well, the body dragging him along for the ride.

* * *

 **Hajime=** Begin

 **Shishi Rendan=** Lion's Barrage

 **Karasu=** Crow

 **Gijin Ninpō: Jūjin Bunshin=** Imitation Human Ninja Art: Beast Human Clone

 **Jūjin Taijutsu Ōgi: Gatsūga=** Beast Human Body Technique Secret Art: Fang Passing Fang

 **Sabaku Kyū=** Sand Binding Coffin

 **Sabaku Sōsō=** Sand Binding Funeral

 **Ninpō: Kamaitachi no Jutsu=** Ninja Art: Sickle Weasel Technique

 **Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Shishi=** Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitation Scroll: Lions

 **Ninpō: Chōjū Giga: Ryū=** Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitation Scroll: Dragon

 **Ninpō: Kage-tsukamu no Jutsu=** Ninja Art: Shadow Grasping Technique (This technique is very similar to the **_Kage–Kubishibari no Jutsu_** _(Shadow–Neck Binding Technique)_ that Shikamaru uses in the anime when facing off against Tayuya during the Sasuke Recovery Mission, but is more used to deal with limbs, versus strangling)

 **Yagai=** Night Guy

 **Sei to Shō no mon… Atai! =** Gates of Life and Pain… Open!

 **Tomon…Atai! =** Gate of Limit… Open!

 **Ninpō Sōzō Saisei: Byakugō no Jutsu=** Ninja Art Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Technique

 **Teiō-Usagi=** Emperor Rabbit

 **Itadakimasu=** Thank you for the food

 **Hashi=** Chopsticks

 **Butaniku and Sakana=** Pork and Fish


	16. Chūnin Exams and More - Part 4

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter 8 – Part 4

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 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

* * *

 ** _===One Week Later===_**

Naruto exits the shower and after drying, dresses in a simple black t-shirt and matching pants. He smiles before exiting and moving to his bed, reaching under it and bulling out a sleek black box before sitting. He pulls out the ninjato that he had been working on a week ago and had finished customizing the next day. He rubs his hand over the black-dyed rabbit-pelt felt sheath-cover, making sure that it feels even as well as adhered firmly to the sheath. He then draws it, examining the blade and checking over the red and blue staining before checking the sharpness, cutting his finger lightly. He then examines the Uchiha crest making sure that it is still flush with the blade, before re-sheathing, re-boxing and sealing away the blade, followed by himself **_hiraishining_** from the room.

He appears in a flicker of silver outside the hospital and enters it, making his way to Tsuki's office. He knocks lightly before entering, prompting Tsuki to look up as he approaches, smiling. "Naruto-kun. I've been meaning to contact you. The item you asked me to try and acquire has finally come in." She says.

Naruto grins. "To be honest, I was just coming to ask about that, so we managed to kill two birds with one stone."

Tsuki stands, moving to a plain looking box sitting off to the side. "It's the newest version, and it is fully chakra compatible as well. I'm pretty sure who you got this for as well, and I thinks it's a definitely a gift that he will use." She says, moving to hand the box to Naruto, who opens it and looks inside.

Inside is a milky-white, slightly oblong-shaped sphere, with a length of twined, flexible strands emitting from one side of it, miniscule seals all along their lengths, and a solid-black circle on the opposite side. _'Hey Kurama, what do you think on helping me make this even better?'_

 _'Depends… what do you have in mind?'_

 _'I know that asking for the_ Sharingan _is a long shot, so… what about infusing the_ Akumagan _into it?'_

 _'That's a tall order kit. It can be done, but… one, it'll cost a ton of chakra, both yours and mine. Two, you'll need some of the chakra of the person whom you plan to give it to, so that it won't forcibly reject the foreign chakra. And three, once done, it will be permanently frozen in that state. You could possibly place a seal to help regulate the chakra flow, or cause it to actually work when exposed to light, so something along those lines so that it doesn't constantly leech on their chakra.'_ Kurama replies. _'I also have a feeling that I know exactly who this is going to, but my question is… why? Why are you doing so much?'_

 _'Simple… because he's my friend, Kakashi's friend, as well as my teammate.'_

Kurama remains silent for a moment. _'Fair enough, I guess. Sure, I'll help you out. Repay the fact that you've given me the ability to interact with the real world.'_

Naruto nods turning to look at the doctor. "Do you mind if I take this with me for a few hours?"

Tsuki blinks and almost denies Naruto on the spot. "Just be careful with it. It's the only one we currently have in stock, not to mention, I don't think we'd be able to get another one in time if that one was damaged."

Naruto nods, sealing the box away after closing it. "I'll be back in a bit, Tsuki-chan." He says before disappearing in a flicker of silver.

* * *

Obito is currently with Kakashi practicing with his _Sharingan._ He is going through the same training regimen that Naruto had gone through… being assaulted by genjutsu provided by Kakashi. Obito is currently fighting off a level seven genjutsu when Naruto appears in a flicker of silver.

Obito and Kakashi ignore Naruto as they can't break eye contact to acknowledge his arrival. _'So how do I go about acquire some of his chakra, Kurama?'_

 _'You could try a chakra-storage seal, like the ones surrounding my seal. Just ask him to channel his chakra into it.'_

Naruto nods, pulling out a seal sheet and brush and from his fūinjutsu pouch before making a duplication seal that he then places over one of the chakra storage seals on his gut. By the time he finishes, Obito has broken from the genjutsu and signals to Kakashi to take a break. Kakashi covers his _Sharingan_ and Obito deactivates his own, before turning to face Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, do you need something?" Obito asks.

"Uhh… actually I do. I need some of your chakra for a uh…" Naruto says, trailing off, trying to think of a believable excuse. "I need it for a project. I'm testing how other people's chakra reacts to Kurama's chakra."

Obito blinks. "Uhh… okay, sure, but how are you going to actually collect it to do so?"

Naruto moves to and hands Obito the seal. Just channel your chakra into that seal for around fifteen seconds or so. That should be more than enough."

Obito nods, taking the seal and pumping his chakra into it. Once finished, he hands it back to Naruto. "Anything else?"

Naruto shakes his head. "Nope, that was all. You were the last sample, I'll see you around." He says, continuing with the lie, before disappearing in a flicker.

Obito turns to Kakashi. "What do you think that was about?"

"I may have an idea or two, but it's nothing major. So, are you ready for the next level, or should we call it a day?"

Obito's response is to activate his dōjutsu.

* * *

Naruto reappears in his room in a flicker of silver. He unseals the box and set it and the seal on the table before going to wash his hands, making sure to rinse thoroughly. He dries his hands with a very simple fūton jutsu. He then heads back to the table. _'I think I'm ready, what about you Kurama?'_

 _'As ready as I really can be. First you'll want to release Obito's chakra into it, before channeling yours and my chakra in evenly, at the same time. While you add our chakra, I'll add the fundamental of the_ Akumagan's _structure into it.'_

Naruto nods and opens the box, carefully pulling out the object, being careful not to damage the twined strands. He lets it rest on his hand, the strands dangling down, hanging above the chakra seal. He moves the seal to the sphere and gently touches them together for a few seconds, allowing the chakra to flow into it. Once the seal is empty he removes it, before beginning to channel his and Kurama's chakras into it.

Naruto watches as the sphere slowly begins changing, a black dot appearing before being surrounded in a crimson ring that fades into a deep blue ring, followed once more by a crimson ring. A few seconds later a thin, bright-green ring appears in the middle of the blue ring followed by six, comma-like shapes – tomoe – appearing evenly around its circumference.

The process takes around thirty minutes, and when Naruto finishes, he feels like he just sprinted a marathon while channeling his chakra the whole time. Naruto had used all twelve of the backup seals as well as a decent chunk of his own chakra in that short time period. _'Holy… Jeez, Kurama, I'm exhausted.'_

Kurama chuckles. _'I told you kit, the process would take a ton of chakra, which it did. You'll be tired until your chakra replenishes.'_

Naruto nods, looking at the now faux- _Akumagan_ , examining it for any damage. Satisfied, he carefully reinserts the faux-eye back into the box and closes it, before sealing it away, then making his way to the kitchen. He grabs two specially made granola bars, before **_hiraishining_** back to the hospital and heads back to Tsuki's office.

He unseals the box with one hand and passes the box to Tsuki. "I've finished doing what I wanted to, Tsuki-chan. You should re-sterilize it though since I had to use my hands to do what I did."

Tsuki takes the box and opens it, gasping at the sight. "What did you do to it?" She asks, looking up to Naruto.

Naruto activates his dōjutsu. "Let's just say that I tweaked his gift, with Kurama helping me change into what I have. I still need to add a light-detection seal to it so that it only uses chakra when light passes through it." He says, closing his eyes and reopening them, his eyes having returned to normal. "Everyone knows that a _Sharingan_ is at its strongest when there are two of them. The _Akumagan_ is a hybrid of both the _Sharingan_ and the _Byakugan_."

Tsuki nods. "That's true. Only as a pair can the _Sharingan_ truly shine. If you need help with the light-detection seal, I could help with that. You'll need a way to implant it into the eye so that it doesn't irritate the eye-socket by being on the outside." She says, closing the box and placing it on her desk, before going through her desk and pulling out a seal sheet which she hands to the silverette. "Try this. It's a unique type of seal sheet for fine seals in peculiar areas."

Naruto takes the sheet and pulls another one from his seal pouch, a seal already on this one. "I tend to make most of my seals ahead of time as a means to practice and refine them, including ones that I doubt that I'll ever need. This is a seal that I was going to use." He says before grinning. "Wanna see a neat fūinjutsu trick?"

Tsuki nods and watches as Naruto places the already made seal against the new seal sheet. He then begins to channel his and Kurama's chakra in continuous intervals, switching between them. A minute later he stops and separates the seal sheets, holding his in his right hand, and Tsuki's in his left. The right seal is now blank with the left on now bearing the seal. He then tucks his seal sheet back into his pouch.

Tsuki blinks in amazement. "How did you do that? I don't think I've ever seen that done before."

"I used Kurama's chakra to pry the seal from the paper and transfer it to the other. The caustic nature of his chakra somehow manages to break the ink's bonding, while my chakra hold the seal together and rebind it to the new sheet." Naruto replies, handing the new seal to Tsuki.

Tsuki takes the seal and examines it. "This looks like it could work. I'll work on implementing it into the eye, although, it'll take me a couple hours."

"You got plenty of time, Tsuki-chan. I'll see you later." Naruto says, before disappearing in a flicker.

 ** _===Seven Hours Later===_**

Naruto goes around and tells people who know about Obito to go and meet at Hiruzen's office. Naruto, Kurama, Tsuki, and the Konoha twelve as well as their Jōnin senseis all crowd into Hiruzen's office. They all talk quietly amongst eachother.

"So what did you get for Obito, Naruto?" Sakura asks.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "You'll just have to wait and see. I'm pretty sure nīchan's and my own gifts are going to be the most expensive though."

Tenten moves to Naruto. "What do you mean by that?" She asks before her eyes widen in realization. "You didn't… you actually bought that for him? But why?"

Naruto smirks in response. "Because I've seen how he eyes mine. He was almost like a little kid eyeing a puppy that he wants."

Tenten shakes her head. "Still… that's such an expensive gift."

"But friendship is priceless, and I'm providing his certain tools to make it so that can remain that way, in more ways than one. Also, to be honest, money means little to nīchan and myself, which is why we do what we do. You know what I mean, Tenten."

Naruto's ears twitch and he motions for everyone to quiet down. A knock is heard and Hiruzen calls out to enter. The door opens and in steps Yuu followed by Obito, followed by everyone calling out, "Odoroki! Ureshī tanjō bi! (Surprise! Happy Birthday!)"

Obito halts in place, having definitely not expected this, and looks around the room. "Is this all for me?" Everyone nods, leaving Obito speechless, and Yuu gently pulls Obito forward so that he can close the door.

Obito looks to each person; the Konoha twelve and their Jōnin senseis, Hiruzen, Tsuki, Kurama and Naruto, before turning to look at Yuu. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Yuu grins, nodding. "Guilty as charged. But you gotta admit, it's pretty impressive, no?"

Obito only nods dumbly, before Naruto rolls his eyes and moves to Obito and pulls him towards Hiruzen desk where his gifts are. Naruto then hands him a red box. Obito opens it and inside is a new outfit; a dark blue t-shirt with the Uchiha Crest on the black, black pants and sandals, as well as a hitai-ate with cloth matching his shirt. "That was from Kakashi and team seven."

From Asuma team eight is a set of trench knives – identical to Asuma's own. From Gai and team nine is an ANBU regulation underarmor jumpsuit, courtesy of Tenten's father; similar to Lee's and Gai's, but black, and more reinforced. From Kurenai and team ten is a medical kit, primarily put together from Hinata's suggestions. From Hiruzen is a collapsible bo-staff, designed after his own Adamantine-Nyoi, but unable to change its size.

From Kurama is a pendant shaped like that of a fox. "You should be honored Obito. That pendant pretty much makes you an honorary Kitsune. Both nīchan and I have one, and the Kitsunes are very fickle about who receives one. Although, you are receiving your from Kurama, which is saying a lot about his change of thoughts towards you." Naruto says.

Then come the big gifts. The first one is from Yuu. With permission from Hiruzen, we was allowed to give Obito pretty much a full arsenal of ANBU regulation gear and equipment. Vests, bracers, pants, sandals, underarmor, kunai and shuriken. The vests aren't true ANBU vests, but are more akin to the vests chūnin wear, but made from the same materials as the ANBU ones. "This is not a small gift Obito. This is meant to help protect you on any missions that you may take. This may seem like a lot, but it's actually quite small compared to what Tsuki and Naruto-kun have done for you."

The second gift is Naruto's and he hands Obito the sleek black box. Obito opens it and stares at the contents. He looks at Naruto then back to the ninjato. He grabs it by the sheath and immediately feels the softness on the rabbit-pelt covering. He notices the weave of black and red that is the hilt. He then slides the sheath off, showing the blade. To some in the room, the blade is a dark-blue, while to others it's blood-red.

Obito looks to Naruto once more. "This is just like yours, and it must have cost a fortune."

"The first day I saw your reaction I knew what you wanted, so when we went to Tenten's father's shop, I put in an order to get one. However, what you now hold in your hands isn't the original product that I had received. I put a number of hours into customizing that blade. The red and blue pearlescent blade, the black and red hilt straps, the pommel compass, the silver trimmings, as well as the crest on the side of the blade."

Obito flips the blade over, the red and white of the crest shining in the light, however Sasuke has to open his mouth when he spots this. "Why is there an Uchiha Crest? He's not an Uchiha."

Naruto looks to Obito, who looks to Yuu, who then looks to Hiruzen, who sighs. "I was hoping to avoid this particular conversation for a little while longer, but I guess that now is as good a time as any." Hiruzen says, reaching into his desk and pulling out a, old, worn file, much older than what is now used, which he sets on his desk. "This file contains everything on Obito from his birth… until now."

Everyone looks to Hiruzen. "Why did you pause in your sentence, Hokage-sama?" Sakura asks.

"Obito is… no, was, by all medical reasoning, deceased. He was born thirty-two years ago and died in the Third Shinobi War." Hiruzen says as all eyes turn to Obito, minus those who already knew this information, which doesn't go unnoticed by the rest of the people in the room. "You mean, you guys already knew about this?" Ino asks.

Hiruzen, Naruto, Kakashi, Tsuki, and Yuu all nod. "Then why keep it a secret?" Kiba asks.

"Because of the fact that it was never supposed to have happened. Someone who presumably dies nineteen years ago, and is still alive today, would cause all kinds of political issues if it was widely known." Hiruzen replies. "And that's how I expect it to stay, at least until we get this completely sorted out – am I understood?" He asks, earning nods from everyone present.

"But that still doesn't explain why he still wears the Uchiha Crest." Sasuke says.

Naruto sighs. "Are you really that dense, Sasuke? Obito was born just as the Third Shinobi War was beginning, where he 'died'. There has only been one _Obito_ in the history of Konoha."

"And your point is…?" The answer still oblivious to Sasuke.

Obito then looks Sasuke in the eyes. "My name, Sasuke, is Obito _Uchiha._ That, is why I wear the Uchiha Crest. That's why I can use the _Sharingan_."

Silence hangs in the air as the majority of the room processes this. "If you're an Uchiha, than prove it and show me your _Sharingan._ " Sasuke retorts.

Obito focus chakra to his eye, his dōjutsu flaring into life in its full, three-tomoe glory.

"And what about your other eye. Uchihas have one in each eye."

"I don't have one in my other eye since I gave it away." Obito relies, moving his hitai-ate to show his empty socket which is closed, before covering it once more. "I gave it to a teammate – a friend – nineteen years ago after I, one, failed to get him anything for his becoming a Jōnin, and two, saved his life by sacrificing my own. His eye had been damaged in a fight, so I had our other teammate transplant my _Sharingan_ as a replacement for his own lost one."

The Konoha twelve look to Obito, while all the Jōnin look to Kakashi, already knowing that much. "And who was your teammate?" Sakura asks.

Obito smirks. "He's standing directly behind you."

All the Genin turn to team seven, then to the person behind them, their eyes widening. "Kakashi-sensei? You were Obito's teammate?"

Kakashi nods. I'm actually a little surprised you all have never even bother to ask how I received my titles; Kakashi, the _Sharingan_ Warrior, or The Copycat Ninja. Hell, even on our own mission a while back to Nami (Waves), Zabuza even called me those names." He says, lifting his hitai-ate to reveal his three-tomoe _Sharingan_ , a cut-like scar visible above and below the eye.

"Speaking of gifts, I believe there is one more." Yuu says. "And to be honest, this one is likely the most expensive one to be given today."

Tsuki pulls out the white box and moves to Obito. "This is from both Naruto-kun and I, and although the initial concept was Naruto-kun's and was fine as it was, Naruto-kun went far above and beyond what was necessary." She says before handing the box to Obito.

Obito opens the box and stares at its contents. He looks to Tsuki, before turning to face Naruto. "Are you seriously giving me _that?_ "

Everyone one in the room look to Obito, then Tsuki, and finally Naruto, confused. "What is it?" Ino asks.

Obito goes to speak, but Naruto stops him. He whispers into his ear, "It might be easier to show them once it's been implanted. Tsuki and I will go with you into the back room and we'll help implant it."

Obito nods and makes contact with Tsuki, before the three of them make their way to the back of the room, and disappear through the door, closing it behind them.

Everyone looks between eachother confused, but remain silent.

In the room is a desk and many filing cabinets. "You may want to lie on the desk Obito." Tsuki says.

Obito hands the box to Naruto before moving to the desk and lying on top of it, legs dangling off the edge. Naruto pulls out a seal while having Obito remove his hitai-ate. Naruto then places the seal on Obito's forehead, causing his head to go numb. Tsuki then pulls out a pair of gloves for herself and Naruto, and proceeds to put them on.

Naruto follows suit after placing the box down on a nearby cabinet. Tsuki then carefully removes the faux-eye from the box. "This may feel weird at first, but you will get used to it." Tsuki says before motioning to Naruto. Naruto gently prods at Obito's closed eye, but it won't open. He channels his and Kurama's chakra in even amounts and works the skin around the eye, slowly forcing it open.

Tsuki then checks the socket to make sure that it isn't damaged, before slowly lowering the twined strands to the nerves at the back of the socket, channeling medical chakra as she does. Naruto increases his own chakra output to disable the nerves so that they don't start trying to move the faux-eye until she is finished.

Twenty minutes later, Tsuki slowly stops channeling chakra and backs away from Obito. Naruto massages around Obito's eye, slowly releasing his own chakra. Another two minutes later he too pulls away from Obito, closing the faux-eye's eyelid and removing the seal from Obito's forehead.

A minute later, Obito's eyes begin twitching, before both slowly open. Immediately, Obito feels his chakra flowing into the faux-eye. He looks to the left then the right, seeing Tsuki's and Naruto's chakra networks, respectively. He slowly sits up, slowly getting used to being able to see from his left eye again.

"It'll take some time to get used to, especially since you now technically have the _Byakugan_ on top of the _Sharingan_." Naruto says.

Obito looks to Naruto, before surprising the silverette with a hug, which is quickly released, before he does the same to Tsuki. "Arigatō you two. This is probably the best gift that I've ever received."

"Also, know that the _Akumagan_ is fairly chakra intensive, so try to keep it covered when you're not using it. And since it technically has the _Byakugan_ , and you having no experience with that dōjutsu, the chakra drain will be even higher until you learn to manage it more effectively.

Obito nods, closing his eye, immediately feeling the draw of chakra lessen. "Oh yeah, it's also light-sensitive. There is a light-detection seal that will regulate if it uses chakra or not, depending on if it is exposed to light or not. Also it will only react to a certain level of light, so a blinding flash won't draw more than a well-lit room." Tsuki says.

Naruto then hands Obito his hitai-ate which had fallen to the floor, which he replaces around his forehead, still utilizing the hanging cloth to cover his eye. The tri then make their way back out into the main portion of the office, everyone turning to look at the door when they hear it open.

"So what happened in there?" Kiba asks.

"Let's just say that I got possibly the best gift that I could ever ask for." Obito replies.

"Well, are you going to keep it hidden, or are you going to show it to us?" Chōji asks, munching on a bag of chips he pulled from nowhere.

Obito nods, reaching up and uncovering his eye, keeping it closed. He then looks to Naruto then Kurama, earning nods from both. And just for more dramatic effect, Naruto closes his eyes as well, and they both open them at the same time.

The room all stare at Obito, but team nine all recognize the design, looking to Naruto, where he has his dōjutsu also active. "So you were given an eye? But who gave it to you? I mean, who was the original donor?" Sakura asks.

Naruto moves to Obito and turns, showing the same eyes as well. "It's not a real eye. It's a faux-eye. I modified it earlier today with a friend's help, which is why it matches both of mine. I won't tell you what it does, but I know that a few of you already know some of what it can do. Obito has been through an ordeal that would incapacitate most, yet he kept moving forward, never giving up."

Obito then closes and covers his eye once more, before looking around the room. He looks at each person, appreciating the fact that even though they barely know him, they were still willing to get gifts for him. He then turns to the three who have given him more than he knows how to repay. "To be honest, I really don't know what to say… I can only think of saying thank you, but it just doesn't seem right."

After that all the people in Hiruzen's office talk for a while, before beginning to make their way out, heading to their homes. The only once that remain at the end are Naruto, Yuu, Hiruzen, Obito, Kakashi and Neji.

"Now that you have the _Akumagan_ , you'll need someone to teach you how to control the _Byakugan_ half of the eye. That's why I asked Neji to remain behind to ask him if he's willing to help out once more."

"I'm willing to train him to control it, but I'm not going to teach any techniques this time. The main house is watch the branch house like hawks as of late. I'm not really certain why, but it is putting all of us on edge. I'm pretty sure it's mostly me that they're watching though, even now."

Naruto nods. "That's understandable. You took a big risk teaching me Hyūga techniques and secrets."

Neji then turns to face Obito. "Noon. Two hours a day, every day until the finals. . I'll see you tomorrow." He says, before leaving the office.

Naruto turns to Obito. "Don't mind him too much. He can be a bit harsh, but it's because of how was brought up. He's trained day in and day out for year, honing his skills, little by little, just to prove the Main House wrong."

Obito nods. "We should be going, Hokage-sama." Yuu says and Kakashi disappears in a poof of smoke. Naruto and Yuu move to grab the crate of ANBU gear while Obito grabs his other gifts, which he places in the crate, before helping with the crate as well. All three then vanish in a flicker of silver while Kurama vanishes in a poof of smoke.

The quartet all appear in the room, though Kurama appears after the other three, who move the crate into the laundry room. Yuu then heads to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. Obito and Naruto go to sit on Naruto's bed and talk quietly while Kurama goes to take a shower. Naruto explains more about the _Akumagan_ , but otherwise they talk about a variety of random topics.

Yuu finishes cooking and serves dinner. The quartet chat while eating. After wards they clear the table and prepare for bed, and all pretty much pass out the moment they close their eyes.

 ** _===One Week Later===_**

All the Chūnin Exam finalists make their way to the stadium where the finals are being held. When they arrive, they're a bit surprised by the number of people in the stands. Nine finalists move to the center of the center of the arena where the proctor is standing. Naruto looks around and notices that Sasuke is nowhere to be seen. _'What the hell is Sasuke doing? He better hope that his match isn't first.'_

"My name is *cough* Hayate Gekkō. I'll be the *cough* proctor for the third and final portion of these exams. Please take a look at this *cough* paper to determine who it is that you will be facing." The man says.

A paper then gets passed around, eventually reaching Naruto

 ** _Round One:_** Neji Hyūga vs. Dosu Kinuta

 ** _Round Two:_** Temari no Sabaku vs. Shikamaru Nara

 ** _Round Three:_** Sasuke Uchiha vs. Obito Uchiha

 ** _Round Four:_** Kankurō no Sabaku vs. Shino Aburame

 ** _Round Five:_** Naruto Tataki vs. Gaara no Sabaku

"The victor of the first *cough* fight will face the victor of the second fight, to determine *cough-cough* who will fight the victor of the third fight. Other than that, the same rules as the preliminaries still apply, and I reserve the right as proctor *cough* to stop the fight at any time. Are there any questions?" Hayate asks.

"What happens if your opponent doesn't show up?" Obito asks.

"If your opponent *cough* fails to appear for their fight, then they will be *cough* disqualified. Any other questions?" Hayate asks once more, receiving none. "Then will the participants of the first fight please remain *cough* while the rest move up to the waiting area above?"

Neji and Dosu remain on the field as everyone else moves up to the spectator's balcony. "Are you both ready?" Hayate asks, earning two nods. "Hajime!" He announces, before leaping away.

Dosu immediately rushes at Neji, drawing his sleeve back, preparing to swing his resonator-clad arm at the Hyūga. However, Neji jumps back, waits a moment and then rushes forward after allowing Dosu's missed attack to dissipate. He gets in close to the Oto-nin and strikes him with a series of Jyūken blows, aiming to immobilize the usage of Dosu's resonator-clad arm.

Dosu jumps back avoiding any more strikes, before cocking his head and drawing a kunai in his other hand. He rushes forward once more, reverse-gripping the kunai. He twists aiming to stab Neji, who parries the blow. He body continues rotating and his resonator nears Neji's head, causing him to jump back, but too late.

Neji's vision swims and he struggles to maintain his balance. _'Damn… I was careless. I managed to parry the lesser threat but forgot about the greater one, that damn gauntlet of his.'_

He catches a glimpse of Dosu rushing at him once more, but can't pinpoint him due to his still swimming vision, so he does the only thing he can think of. He expels chakra from every pore on his body and rotates in place. **_'Kaiten."_** He says, a protective dome of chakra swirling to life around him, deflecting the Oto-nin away.

Neji stops rotating and attempts to focus his vision, shaking his head as it begins to settle. He blinks a few times to fully settle it before activating his _Byakugan._ He spots Dosu coming at him from the right, so he turns and jumps back, waits a moment, before rushing forward and striking Dosu with more Jyūken strikes, this time managing to hit the Oto-nin's shoulder and incapacitate the use of his arm.

Dosu grunts and jumps away, attempting to move his arm, but to no avail. He puts the kunai in his mouth before drawing an explosive tag, which he proceeds to wrap around the kunai's handle with a bit of difficulty. He then rushes at Neji, drawing a second kunai and dropping low to the ground and attempting to slash the Hyūga's legs, but Neji's jumps, flipping up and over Dosu's low-positioned body, hitting him twice as he passes.

Dosu collapses the tagged kunai to the ground, standing up, albeit with some difficulty due to Neji's strikes. He turns to face Neji before jumping backwards. Neji squints at Dosu in confusion but doesn't move. Dosu raises a half-tiger seal triggering the tagged kunai, smirking.

Neji sees this, then notices the kunai on the ground near him before jumping back and using the **_Kaiten_** mid-air as it detonates.

The Oto-nin watches the cloud of dirt until Neji rushes from within it and stops near him shifting to a wide-legged stance, smirking. "You're within range… **_"Jyūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō._** Nishō, shishō, hachishō, jūrokushō, sanjūnishō, rokujūyonshō." He counts as he barrages Dosu with sixty-four rapid-fire Jyūken strikes. Dosu stumbles backwards before collapsing onto the ground in a heap.

"In the past, I might've said that it was your destiny to lose to me here, but in reality, you were just unlucky." Neji says turning to face Hayate. "Call the match, he's not getting up anytime soon."

The proctor looks from Neji to Dosu. "Winner by *cough* knockout, Neji Hyūga." Neji than begins making his way towards the spectator's balcony, avoiding the medics as the head towards the Dosu. "Will the next fighters *cough* come down into the arena?" Hayate asks.

Temari jumps over the railing and glides down on her battle fan. Shikamaru however refuses at first, claiming that it's troublesome to have to fight a female, until he gets a foot in the ass kicking him over the railing from Ino. He then reluctantly makes his way to the center of the arena. "Are you two ready?"

Temari nods and Shikamaru comments, '"It's troublesome, but yeah… I'm ready." Hayate then disappears in a poof of smoke, announcing the start of the match. **_(A/N: We all know how this match goes so I'm instead going to do a mini-segment while it plays out in the background.)_**

* * *

Naruto makes his way towards the other two Suna-nin, Gaara turning to face him as he nears. "What do you want?" He rasps.

"Not much. Just wanted to know if you have taken my advice to talk to Shukaku yet, or do Kurama and I need to have a word with him?" Naruto asks.

Gaara stares at Naruto. "I… don't know how to communicate with it. I've never been able to, be it constantly talks to me, telling me to kill others in order to prove my existence. Even now, it's telling me to kill you as well."

 _'I wonder if it has something to do with his seal. All Jinchūriki should be able to communicate with the Bijū within them, even if the Bijū doesn't want to communicate in return. His seal must be pretty horrendous then._ 'Naruto thinks to himself, before biting his lip. "Do you mind if I… uh, examine your seal? I believe that the reason you can't communicate with him but he can speak to you is due to your seal being poorly made."

Gaara blinks. "Father made the seal the way it is on purpose. He wanted me to be unstable, but now he believes that I am too much so, and has tried to kill me on numerous occasion. Each time the sand has protected me; always my shield, my friend."

"Well, how about the earning of another friend?"

Kankurō turns after hearing that, then he and Gaara stare at Naruto; Kankurō thinking that Naruto's insane, and Gaara doubting that Naruto is being sincere. "How do I know that you aren't trying to deceive me? I've had others say that they'd be willing to be my friend, only to try and kill me the first chance that they got."

"Because I'm like you. I grew up hated and despised. Then I met nīchan. After that, my life changed for the better. I've made friends and have people that actually care for me, I've acquired my nakama (family), and I'm willing to do the same for you as well… if you're willing to take the chance."

Gaara stares at Naruto, debating whether he should take that risk, not wanting to be backstabbed once again. "Fine, but if you try to betray me, _I Will Kill You._ "

Naruto nods. "I'm a man of my word. Now, about your seal… it won't hurt, I promise. I just want to examine it."

Gaara blinks before removing his gourd and turning around, raising his shirt to reveal the seal in the middle of his back. Naruto tilts his head to get a better angle, blinking in surprise. _'This isn't just poorly made, it's a disaster waiting to happen. There's not a single ounce of symmetry nor elegance to it at all. There's no wonder he's having issues with Shukaku, not after having seen that mess.'_ He thinks before pulling out a seal sheet and a brush, before copying the seal to show to Jiraiya at a later time.

He then writes on the back a few notes as well; Insomnia, Bijū to Jinchūriki but no Jinchūriki to Bijū communication, horrible seal design, no redirection to Shukaku's bloodlust so it's always noticeable. He then stands. "Okay, I'm finished." He says, prompting Gaara to turn back around lowering his shirt and strapping his gourd back into place. He holds up the copy of Gaara's seal, "I'm going to show this to someone that I know. He may be able to help repair your seal… or at least make it better."

He then lifts his own shirt to show his own mark as a Jinchūriki. "This is a seal that he made after the original one had started to deteriorate. It's primarily the same seal, just modified and improved a bit." He continues, lowering his shirt.

"Why are you willing to help me to such an extent? You barely know me." Gaara asks.

"Ahh… the famous question. Well, it's because I look after my nakama. I take care of them and in return, they take care of me. I'm even willing to help those that I don't know or don't even want the help, and they usually end up thanking me in the end. It's just the kind of person that I am." Naruto replies.

"Winner by forfeit *cough* Temari no Sabaku." Hayate calls out.

Naruto looks around, but stills sees no sign of Sasuke. _'Dammit Sasuke. Where the hell are you? You better not give Obito a win by not showing up.'_ He thinks to himself.

"Will the next contestants *cough* please make their way down into the arena?"

Obito jumps over the railing and lands gracefully, before making his way towards Hayate. A minute passes by with still no sign of Sasuke. Another minute ticks by, and Hayate is just about to declare Obito the winner when a Jōnin appears next to him, and whispers something in his ear.

"Match three will *cough* be postponed for one round. If Sasuke Uchiha does not appear within that time period, he *cough-cough* will be disqualified, and Obito will be declared the winner *cough* by default. Will the contestants for the fourth match please make *cough* their way into the arena?"

Kankurō looks to Temari then to Naruto and finally Gaara before sighing. He jumps over the rail and makes his way towards Hayate, Shino following soon after, his Kikaichu carrying his gently to the ground.

Gaara turns to look at Naruto. "There's going to be an invasion by Suna and Oto later on. I'm telling you as a… friend, so that you can be prepared for when it starts."

Temari looks at Gaara in disbelief. "What are you doing? We're not supposed to tell anyone."

Gaara glares at his sister. "I don't care. I'll tell my… friend if I want to tell him." He states, still not used to actually using the word in a normal sentence. "What are you going to do about it?"

Temari flinches and turns away, opting to say nothing in return.

* * *

Kankurō and Shino face eachother. "Are you two ready?" Hayate asks, earning to nods. "Hajime!" He says before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Kankurō immediately reaches behind him and takes hold of Karasu, connecting his chakra threads to it. Karasu's mouth opens and fires off a hail of poison-coated senbon at Shino, who dives out of the line of fire. Shino then rushes at Kankurō but is intercepted by Karasu. He jumps back, but not before doing the same thing that he did to Zaku; planting a female Kikaichu on Karasu.

Shino's beetles then begin making their way downwards and exit the pant-legs, using the grass as cover. They make their way towards Karasu and begin to climb up onto it. Kankurō at the moment is currently oblivious to this fact though, and has Karasu lunge at Shino, who **_kawarimis_** with a **_Mushi Bunshin_** , which disperse into a swarm of beetles of which a number land on Karasu.

The beetles than begin making their way towards the chakra threads connecting Karasu and Kankurō together. Shino lunges towards the puppet user but is once more, impeded by Karasu. The female Kikaichu then begins to make its way across a thread, heading straight for Kankurō. Shino smirks, but it is covered up by the collar of his coat. Shino rinses and repeats a number of times, buying time for his beetles.

Kankurō then notices that his chakra is depleting at a rapid rate, primarily from his hands. He looks down and sees Shino's beetles and sees more crossing over the threads connected to Karasu. _'These damned beetles are going to become an issue.'_ He thinks, before severing the threads, beetles flying in every direction and Karasu collapsing into a pile of useless puppetry. But by then, it is too late.

He continues to feel his chakra deplete, even faster than before. He looks down and sees them covering his legs. He attempts to brush them off but only ends up allowing them access to his arms, making the situation worse. Eventually they overwhelm him as he loses his balance, falling to the ground, and is immediately barraged by a surge of beetles that were hidden by the grass.

Hayate then calls the match and Shino calls back his beetles. As they finish returning two poofs of smoke appear nearby, revealing Sasuke and Kakashi. "Sorry everyone, I hope that we're not too late." Kakashi says.

Hayate along with half the arena sweat-drops. Obito looks at Kakashi incredulously. _'Did he really just pull a me?'_

Hayate blinks. "And *cough* you are?"

Sasuke looks to Hayate. "Sasuke… Uchiha." He says all slow and dramatic-like.

"Then you are fine. You *made* it just in time for your match." Hayate replies. "We actually pushed it *cough* back for you one match."

"Whew… and I here thought that we might be disqualified or something." Kakashi says, his eye turning into an upside-down and stretched letter U, an eye-smile. "Well then, I'll get off of the field. Ja ne." He says vanishing in a poof of smoke.

Obito then moves into the arena and makes his way to the center once more. He and Sasuke face eachother. "Are you two ready?" Hayate asks earning a nod and a 'Hai.' "Hajime!" He says before disappearing as well.

Obito draws his ninjato and rushes at Sasuke, swiping with it. Sasuke back-flips away drawing a kunai after hurling a dozen kunai towards Obito before chasing after them. Obito deflects and dodges the projectiles, before sidestepping Sasuke's lunge. He brings his ninjato back up and attempts to knock the other Uchiha out with the pommel.

Sasuke dives out of the way before rolling to his feet, and retuning to face Obito, who had sheathed his ninjato and was going through hand-seals. **_"Katon: Ry_** ** _ūendma_** _(Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb). **"**_ He says, before exhaling a dragon-shaped projectile at Sasuke, who retaliates with his own hand-seals and jutsu. **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_** He says exhaling, launching a massive fireball at the incoming attack, which when they connect, explode spectacularly.

Obito activates his _Sharingan_ and rushes at Sasuke, ninjato drawn once more. He slashes and catches Sasuke across the chest as he recovers from the fireball. The younger Uchiha jumps back, avoiding most of the damage he can, but still receiving a decent sized gash. He activates his own dōjutsu before rushing at Obito, even faster than before.

Obito blinks in surprise at Sasuke's sudden speed increase, before smirking. _'So he wants to play with speed? Well two can play that game.'_ He thinks, before rushing forward as well, both Uchihas moving at, at least twice their previous speed.

The two Uchihas rocket towards eachother, their weapons clashing together, sparks flying. Obito drops low and sweeps Sasuke's feet out from under him. Sasuke rolls to the side before climbing to his feet. He and Obito stare eachother down, before the both go through hand-seals. **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_ ** They both call out, launching to massive fireballs at eachother. They collide into eachother, flames spewing out into every direction. However, Obito's fireball looks a bit different when compared to Sasuke's.

Obito's fireball is, one, bigger; and two a different color. Whereas Sasuke's is red, orange and yellow; Obito's is orange, yellow and white, meaning that Obito's is hotter and stronger. Obito's attack begins to slowly overpower Sasuke's fireball, until the two attacks explode in a massive torrent of flames. Obito turns and exposes his back to the torrent, covering his face with his clothes, knowing that they'll redirect most of the flames. Sasuke, however, doesn't fare quite as well, seeing as his clothes allow for more speed versus protection.

The inferno eventually dissipates, revealing two smoking figures, one far better off than the other. Obito un-shields himself, silently thanking Yuu and Naruto for his new outfits. Sasuke however, smolders and shakily climbs back to his feet, burns scorching his clothes and body, his jumpsuits pocked with burn holes. He glares at Obito. "How are you unscathed after that? And how are you stronger than I am?" He asks around pants, grimacing in pain from the burns.

"I'm unscathed because of my clothes, meaning they deflect flames from directly coming into contact with me. As for why I'm stronger, well, I am older than you. But look at who I live with, do you honestly think I _wouldn't_ get stronger with those two around? I get trained into the ground every single day. I've worked for my strength, unlike you, who expects everything to be handed to you on a silver platter."

Sasuke then scowls at Obito. "You'll regret those words. You think that you're the only one who's been training non-stop? Think again." He says, before making a beeline to the stadium's wall, before running up it. Upon reaching the top, he turns around and squats, utilizing his chakra to stick. He then grasps his wrist and begins focusing.

Obito watches Sasuke curiously with his _Sharingan_ , but can only see so much from this distance. He raises his hitai-ate and opens his eye, revealing the _Akumagan._ _'That's some serious chakra that he's channeling into his hand. It almost reminds me of…'_ He stops mid-though, his eyes widening as he whirls around to stare directly at Kakashi. _'You didn't…'_ He thinks before sighing.

Obito turns back to look at Sasuke when the sounds of birds chirping, and sees lightning sparking from Sasuke's hand. _'Okay then Sasuke. You've got your trump card… and I've got mine.'_ He thinks before popping his knuckles before beginning a string of hand-seal, before eventually splitting into single-handed seals, each hand performing different seals than the other. _'I only hope this works and doesn't end up killing both of us.'_ He thinks as Sasuke begins rushing down the wall. He inhales, exhales then repeats. **_"Akuma-Sharingan: Ryōtejutsu: Hakyaku no Kyūsonzai."_** He says.

* * *

Naruto watches Obito to see how he reacts to Sasuke's new jutsu, and his eyes widen when he sees the string of seals that Obito performs. "Oh… shit..." He says aloud catching the attention of all the other nearby Genin, confused looks on their faces. Naruto then turns to Gaara. "How much sand do you have in your gourd? And how strong is it?"

Gaara blinks, confused. "Not a lot, just what's in the gourd on my back, but I can make it extremely hard. Why?"

Naruto shakes his head. "That technique that Obito is performing is no joke. He's still working on it, but even now, its damage is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure that nīchan is warning the kages even as I speak. Soon, barriers will begin popping up all around the stadium."

And as soon as the words leave Naruto's mouth, flashes start appearing all around; Jōnin, ANBU and Chūnin all putting up any types of barriers that they know how to create. "If it's possible, I need you to make as much as you possibly can as fast as you can, and prepare to use it as a shield." Yuu then appears next to Naruto, followed soon by Kurama. "You already working on it?" Yuu asks, earning nods from everyone nearby.

Gaara sends his sand into the dirt down below and begins to grind it into more sand that he can utilize, which in turns causes more sand to be made. Eventually the redhead begins to raise the sand and uses it to barricade a large portion of the spectator's stands, earning many cries of protest, which Yuu quickly puts an end to.

Naruto can see Gaara straining to keep the amount of sand up and knows that it's only going to get harder once the technique officially activates. "Make a way for others to help, Gaara. Allow people to help channel their chakra into the sand to help keep it firm. Kurama and I will help you keep it raised." He says and looks to Kurama, who nods. They both then clasp their hands together and erupt into golden flames, surprising the spectators. Both the split, one to one side of the curtain of sand, and the other to the opposite side.

 _'Just know that I can't keep this form up for long, Naruto. Maybe five minutes at most.' Naruto hears in his head._

 _"That's more than enough time, Kurama. Just focus on helping keep this curtain in place.'_ Naruto replies, before forming two arms as thick as his body of the flaming chakra, placing one against the curtain, digging its fingers into the sand and doing the same to the ground behind him.

A moment later everyone in the stadium feels a massive spike in the temperature. Those who can currently see only see a wall of fluctuating red, orange, yellow, white and blue flames.

* * *

As soon as Obito finishes the final hand-seal, he immediately drops to the ground and curls up, wrapping himself in his clothes as bet as he can, knowing that he's about to really push them to their limits.

Sasuke watches as Obito curls up, and smirks, thinking that he's giving up, having been frightened into submission. He then sees a sudden change in the lighting and looks up, freezing in his tracks. Nine monstrous fireballs fall from the sky and enter the arena, before beginning to rotate around the arena and near eachother. The nine fireballs touch and erupt into a gargantuan conflagration of multicolored flames.

The conflagration lasts for at least a minute before finally beginning to fade, the temperature having skyrocketed, before now cooling. Obito slowly climbs to his feet and looks around the arena. The walls are blackened, the trees have been turned into charcoal which are collapsing under their own weight, the ground has turned into a baked conglomeration of useless minerals, and for some reason, there is a massive pane of glass covering a large section of the spectators. Lying in the middle of the arena, severely burnt and out cold, is Sasuke.

Hayate reappears in a poof of smoke and examines Sasuke. _'Lucky kid… He coated himself with almost every ounce of his chakra, which is probably all that managed to save him. Be he's still going to be out for a good length of time.'_ He thinks. "Winner by knockout, Obito of Konoha." He announces.

* * *

Naruto is amazed as he watches the sand turn to glass. As it does, he realizes that Gaara can no longer help keep this curtain up, leaving the massive weight primarily to himself and Kurama. _'How are you hold up over there, Kurama? Since this thing is turning to glass, it going to be up to us to keep it up.'_

 _'I know kit, and this much sand crystallizing into glass is bound to be heavy.'_

As the flames diminish, Kurama and Naruto to struggle to support the weight of the glass shield, resorting to branching off another fiery arm to the ground in front to them to act as a brace. They look through the glass and see Obito climb to his feet, before Hayate appears and declares Obito the victor. Kurama and Naruto then proceed to lower the glass shield to the ground, and once finished, they both drop from their Bijū Cloaks, Naruto collapsing on his rear, followed by Kurama **_shunshining_ ** to Naruto and following suit.

Obito makes his way from the arena and into the stands. He moves to and sits next to Naruto before promptly falling unconscious, his chakra reserve extremely low. Naruto fixes Obito's hitai-ate while the medical shinobi remove Sasuke's crispy form from the arena, followed by Hayate calling for the next set of contestants.

Gaara and Naruto look to eachother. Gaara disappears via a swirl of sand and appears next to the proctor, arms crossed over his chest. Naruto stands and stretches before leaping over the rail and rolling when he hits the ground, before continuing to the center of the arena.

The two Genin then face eachother. "Are you *cough* two ready?" Hayate asks, and earns two nod, before Naruto turns to look at Hayate. "If you would like, I could see about helping you out with the cough after the exams. But, yeah, I'm ready."

Hayate looks to the silverette before nodding. "Alright then. *cough* Hajime!" He says before disappearing.

"Let's make this a good fight, sound good?" Naruto asks, looking at the redhead.

Gaara stares back before lightly nodding, his sand then rushing at Naruto, who jumps away. He then rushes towards Gaara, who remains rooted to his spot while the silverette attempts to land a hit on him, only to be constantly blocked by walls of sand. "I've told you than my sand will act as a shield."

That doesn't stop Naruto from trying anyways. He eventually jumps back and grins. "Your sand is tough, fast as well. But the question is… is it fast enough?" He asks kicking off his sandals and deactivating his gravity seal "Let's put that to the test shall we?" He asks before vanishing in a blur.

Gaara blinks, having seen Naruto move this back in the preliminaries. The only person that he's seen that is faster, was that Genin, Rock Lee. Naruto rushes at Gaara, and returns to trying to force his way through the sand walls.

* * *

The Sabaku siblings watch as Naruto puts the speed of Gaara's sand to the test. "He actually causing Gaara's sand to have issues… incredible." Temari says in awe.

A handful of the Konoha twelve turn to look at Temari. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Ino asks.

Temari turns. "Are you really that oblivious? Can't you see how the sand is protecting Gaara, yet he's not even moving? That is why he has never been injured; no one can ever get directly to him. And even if the manage to somehow get past the shield, they would still need to get past his sand armor. Gaara has never had an injury." She explains, turning back to the match.

* * *

Naruto is a blur of black as he sprints around the Suna-nin, constantly bashing at the sand shield. He then gets lucky and manages to get past the shield, causing Gaara to brace himself so as not to go flying. Gaara blinks in shock, no having ever managed to land a direct hit to him before.

Naruto felt the rough texture of sand as he had landed his hit on Gaara and smirks. _'So he's coated himself in sand… that must use an enormous amount of chakra.'_ He thinks as he lands another heavy blow, forcing Gaara to actually take a step in order to stay on his feet. Naruto eventually backs off and looks at Gaara. "Not bad. I've only managed to get a couple of hits in… that shield is pretty quick to react."

"You intrigue me. No one has ever managed to get past the sand before."

Naruto grins. "What do you so to us stepping it up a bit, ne?" He asks, before erupting in the golden flames of his Bijū Cloak, before vanishing in a flash of gold.

Gaara looks around but sees no sign of Naruto, but he can see his sand barely responding in time to his attacks. He then feels a powerful blow to his back, causing him to stumble then recover, before being struck on the chest.

"It seems that your sand is beginning to struggle Gaara." Naruto's voice call out, seemingly everywhere around Gaara. Gaara unfolds his arms and begins coaxing the sand into a whirling wall. He can see the spots where Naruto's attacks slam into the sand. A moment late, Gaara is no longer standing on the ground, having been kicked into the air as Naruto had managed to somehow slip past the wall.

Gaara looks up and sees two Narutos appear, before they flip in mid-air and axe-kick the redhead downwards, causing his to slam into the ground. He uses his sand to cushion his impact, before using it to prop him back onto his feet and then looking around for Naruto.

"Sorry Gaara. As much as I would like to keep this little show going, this is a match, and I'm not about to lose." Naruto calls out before forming hand-seals. **_"Fūton: Rankyakū."_** Winds appear around his legs and he begins to move even faster than before. He then activates his _Akumagan_ to help him keep up with his speed and not get tunnel-vision. He then channels the purified chakra of Kurama to his legs, and rockets forward. _'Damn… I've never moved this fast before. I wonder if this is what it was like for Lee when he faced me.'_

Naruto then blitzes towards Gaara, much faster than his sand is able to respond to and leaps, dropkicking the redhead in the gut, launching him across the arena. He then rushes and jumps before flipping and axe-kicks Gaara, slamming him once more into the ground, before backing away and continuing to move so as to remain invisible.

Gaara climbs to his feet, his muscles actually hurting a bit and his armor cracked in multiple places. He looks around before pulling his sand around and forming a sphere, which he hardens to an almost steel-like density, before beginning to hear the thunderous strikes from Naruto resonating on the sphere. The attacks continue and eventually the sphere starts to crumble. Gaara repairs the sphere but the opening continue to appear. He knows what Naruto is doing though, he is forcing Gaara to keep using his chakra to constantly repair the sphere.

The redhead then decides to chance an idea. He allows the bottom to fall out and sends that sand into the ground where he begins to convert the dirt into more sand. He keeps the conversion from reaching the surface so as to keep it out of view, and proceeds to multi-task; keeping the sphere stable while also making more sand. Eventually he deems that he has enough and begins making it swirl underground, slowly climbing to the surface.

* * *

Naruto feels the ground begin to rumble before beginning to soften under his feet and notices that it's no longer the blackened dirt form Obito's jutsu, but now the glistening amber of Gaara's sand. The sand swirls in a massive circular shape coming to an epicenter that is lower than the top rim, with Gaara's sand sphere hovering over the epicenter. The sand then begins moving towards the sphere while continuing to circle around it, almost resembling water going down a drain.

He then realizes what Gaara is trying to do. He's created a massive whirlpool of sand which he intends to use to capture Naruto and force the match. He smirks. _'Crude, but potentially effective. I approve of his strategy, and with all the sand shifting around, I won't be able to get anywhere near that sphere.'_ He thinks jumping back as the whirlpool continues to grow in size.

Eventually he is forced to the wall as the whirlpool slowly reaches the boundaries of the arena's ground and the walls leading up into the stands. He climbs up onto the wall using his chakra to stick to it. _'Well then… this could be a bit harder than I originally thought.'_ He then climbs up to the top of the wall dropping his Bijū Cloak before removing his vest and shirt and placing them on the ledge, before turning to look towards Gaara's sphere. _'This ought to be interesting.'_ He thinks before leaping off the wall down to the sand, keeping his chakra flowing as he lands, activating his Cloak mid-air.

* * *

Gaara forms a series of hand-seals before closing his left eye and focusing his chakra and making a small amount form into a small sphere outside of the large one that he's within. **_"Kaitsū no_** **_Daisan no Me_** _(Opening of the Third Eye)."_ The small sphere then turns into an eye, allowing Gaara to see outside. He sees Naruto forced onto the arena wall before watching as he climbs the wall, pulls of his vest and shirt, before jumping down onto the sand. _'What are you planning?'_

* * *

As soon as Naruto's feet touch the sand, he's off like a bullet, vanishing from sight once more. He follows the sand's rotation and reactivates his **_Rankyakū_** , moving even faster. He rushes at Gaara's sphere and dropkicks into it, breaking through the shell from the momentum he was carrying. He ends up impacting into a shocked Gaara before shoving him out the other side, following him out of the sphere and onto the swirling sand.

Gaara's eyes are wide as his brain finally catches up to what had just happened. He now realizes that he is no longer within his sphere but now soaring through the air, the sand armor of his check cracked and flaking. He rights himself, landing on a cushion of sand that he causes to float over the whirlpool. He looks back in the direction the sand sphere and notices Naruto standing atop the swirling grains. _'Interesting… maybe if we wasn't trying to befriend me, and I allowing that chance, he might've satisfied my existence. Though if he betrays me, I'll still get to kill him.'_ He thinks, raising his arm and causing the sand to begin moving up Naruto's legs.

Naruto feels the sand moving up his legs and looks down. He attempts to jump away, but to no avail. _'Erm… I think I could use a hand Kurama. Any ideas?'_

Kurama thinks for a moment. _You could try creating a clone and switching with it, or switching with anything really. Once Shukaku gets a hold of something, he tends to no let go, and I'm thinking the same for our redheaded friend over there.'_

Naruto almost smacks himself. _'Right… the_ **kawarimi** _. I feel stupid.'_ He thinks before making a clone and switching with it, before moving once more, zigzagging around like Lee did when they fought, before rushing at Gaara, the sand unable to properly respond to his speed. He reaches Gaara and twists his body, elbowing him and knocking him off his cloud of sand, and into the whirlpool.

Naruto then hauls Gaara from the sand by the cloth holding his gourd and is about to hurl the redhead into the air when something catches his eye. He looks in the direction of what distracted him and spots feathers… lots and lots of raining feathers, all around the stands. He turns back to Gaara. "Is this part of the invasion that you told me about earlier?"

Gaara nods. "It is. I was meant to fall asleep and release Shukaku to wreak havoc on the village. But I will no longer be my father's pawn." He says, releasing his control on the sand whirlpool, the sand eventually slowing to a standstill. Naruto then sets the redhead down on his feet.

"So, will you help us stop the invasion, or will you remain on the sidelines and hope to not get caught in the crossfire?"

Gaara looks up to the Kage booth, causing Naruto to do the same. As soon as they do, the 'Kazekage' sheds his haori, revealing himself to actually be Orochimaru. Gaara blinks. "Who is that? That is not my father."

Naruto's eyes squint and he frowns in displeasure. "It's Orochimaru, the traitor of Konoha. If he's here, then there's bound to be snakes soon to follow." He says. _'You got that Kurama?'_

Kurama appears next to Naruto in a poof of smoke. "Hai. If you want me to help the old man, I'll need a top-up on my reserves." He says as Naruto releases the twelve seals and pumps the purified chakra into Kurama as well as some additional chakra that he purifies. "You're good for about twenty minutes of Cloak usage, or around a day of non-Cloak usage, not including jutsu of course."

Kurama nods before jumping away and making a beeline for the Kage booth. Naruto then faces Gaara. "Have you decided what you'll be doing in this invasion?"

Gaara nods. "I will help, although I cannot answer for my siblings." Right as the words leave his mouth a massive cloud of smoke can be seen near the edge of the village. When it clears, a massive three-headed snake can be seen. "And… there's the snake." Naruto deadpans.

He then grins. "The village won't like this too much, but… they'll tank me later." He says and begins forming hand-seals. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_** A second massive cloud of smoke appears revealing Naruto and Gaara to be standing atop the head of Kuzuki. "Hey Kuzuki, mind giving me a hand with one or Orochipedo's pets?"

 _'That snake bastard is still alive? You can definitely count me in, just point me in the right direction.'_ Kuzuki replies. _'By the way, who's your friend?'_

Naruto turns to Gaara who's staring at the massive, beige, five-tailed fox. "Kuzuki, meet Gaara. Gaara, meet Kuzuki, the strongest Kitsune in my **_Kuchiyose_** arsenal. Now let's go, I've got me a date with a new pair of snake-skin boots."

Kuzuki bounds up and over the walls of the arena, landing near the main area of the village. A majority of the villagers cry out in fear, thinking that the Kyūbi has appeared. Kuzuki and the pair atop his head continue rushing towards the colossal serpent, and Kuzuki bulldozes right into it, forcing it back from the walls of the village. The snake glares at the trio, hissing and spitting in rage while Kuzuki glares back, his five tails swaying gracefully behind him.

Kuzuki then lunges at the snake jaws wide, which he then snaps shut on one of the middle neck. Naruto uses his Cloak to keep a head at bay while Gaara uses his sand to do the same with the other one. Kuzuki twists his head, and the sound of tearing flesh can be heard as the snake's head is torn off. He jumps back with his prize, before letting go and pouncing onto the massive serpent.

Naruto turns to Gaara while Kuzuki continues fighting. "Do you know any powerful attacks besides your sand crushing people?"

Gaara faces Naruto. "There is one technique, but I haven't mastered using it yet."

Naruto nods. "What do you need help with? Shaping it, chakra, sand, or something else?"

"More sand for one, but also chakra and enough of it to make it hard enough."

"I can help with the chakra aspect, but you will have to do the sand portion yourself. You form the basis of the attack, and I'll provide the additional chakra."

Gaara nods and sends sand down to the ground to make more, before eventually bringing back a decent amount, which he then shapes into its intended form. Naruto places his hand on Gaara's shoulder and begins pumping chakra into him, allowing Gaara to will it into place. The sand then begins condensing and compressing, as well as taking the shape of a long handled, five-pronged spear-like weapon. **" _Saikō Zettai Kōgeki: Shukaku no Hoko_** _(Ultimately Hard Absolute Attack: Spear of Shukaku)."_

Gaara the grabs the handle of the spear and hurls it towards one of the snake heads. The spear soars through the air and passes clean through the right head's neck. Utilizing Naruto's chakra, he manages to maintain a small amount of control on the weapon and returns the spear to his grasp. He then hurls it once more and again pierces through the right head, causing the head to hiss in agony.

Gaara is bringing the spear back for a third attack when a flicker of silver is seen before the right head slides from its neck and falls to the ground. Gaara and Naruto turn to see Jiraiya atop a sea-foam green toad who has one of two massive katanas drawn. Naruto wave to Jiraiya.

Kuzuki snaps at the remaining head and sinks his teeth into it. He then throws his weight while tugging, before ripping the final head clean off the body.

Kuzuki and the duo then turns and face the toad and Jiraiya. The two summons look at eachother before dispelling, dropping the trio to the ground, before Jiraiya moves to the two Genin. Naruto turns to Gaara. "This is the man that I was telling you about. He could fix your seal for you, if you'll let him examine it."

Gaara nods and the two turn back to Jiraiya. "So I see that you unlocked the seal anyways. Who's your friend?" Jiraiya asks.

Naruto nods. "Hai. It was the only way for me to utilize Kurama's chakra abilities. I lost pretty much everything that he had taught me, as well as most of my _Akumagan's_ functionality. This is Gaara no Sabaku. He's one of the examinees from Suna.

"Suna? You do realize that it's Suna that is attacking the village right now, right? Why are you with a Suna-nin anyways?"

"Because Suna is being manipulated by Orochipedo. He was impersonating Gaara's father – the Kazekage – and used that position to break Suna's peace treaty with us. Besides, Suna isn't our enemy, Orochipedo and Oto are."

"How do you know this? What proof do you have that proves that what you say is true?"

"Because we both saw Orochipedo pull of the Kazekage haori and hat. "Naruto replies. "Besides, you saw us working together. If he was an enemy, then why didn't he attack me while we fought the snake? 

Jiraiya looks between the two Genin. "I guess that's true. Fine, maybe some of what you said is true. But if it is, then that mean that Hiruzen-sama is in possible danger."

Naruto smirks. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. I had Kurama go and help Jijī. He'll be fine until we arrive to help. And speaking of helping… I've got a favor. "He says, pulling out the seal sketch of Gaara's seal, which he hands to Jiraiya. "Do you think you could do anything for a seal that crude?"

Jiraiya takes the paper and his face twists up in disgust. "Is this one of your new seals or something? Because it's really, really bad."

Naruto shakes his head. "No, it's not one of mine, but I though the same exact thing. It's actually Gaara's seal."

Jiraiya raises an eyebrow. "It's his seal, how?" He asks before looking back at the paper, his eyes widening in recognition. "This is the seal relating to a sand demon that was sealed away by a monk. You're a Jinchūriki…" He says, trailing off as he looks to Gaara.

Gaara blinks. "What's a Jinchūriki?"

Naruto sighs, nodding. "Hai. He's the Jinchūriki of Shukaku, the Ichibi no Tanuki. And _that_ disaster of a seal is what is holding Shukaku within Gaara."

Jiraiya moves closer to Gaara and inspect him. "He's definitely got the visual signs of Shukaku, that's for sure. Do you mind if I take at the seal myself?"

Gaara looks at Naruto, who nods. He then turns around, removing his gourd and lifting his shirt, revealing his seal. Jiraiya squats, examining the seal closer before standing back up and backing away from the redhead. "I can help with the seal, but I don't think I'll be able to do a full replacement." He says as Gaara turns around and fixes his shirt, strapping his gourd back on. "I can only tweak it so that it's a bit more symmetrical, and possibly add a few other tweaks, but with such a bad seal, there's only so much that can really be done."

"Actually, Jiraiya, I think I may be able to help with that." Naruto says. "We could take Gaara to Mt. Enryū and fix his seal there. The Kitsune will likely offer to one of their own, even if I'm only a partial-breed. Times moves differently there, the gravity is more intense, the air is thicker, and the temperature is constantly warm."

Jiraiya looks to Naruto. "Then, wouldn't any summoning realm work? Couldn't Mt. Myōboku work just as well?"

"Possibly, but there will be rare herbs that may be needed that I doubt Mt. Myōboku will have. Mt. Enryū is more likely to be the better choice. Also, you could just make a counter-gravity seal, that way you aren't affected by the increased gravity."

Jiraiya blinks. "That's easy for you to say. Besides, maybe I don't want to mark my skin with seals, and I doubt that Gaara here will want any more either."

"Okay, fine… How about I call in a favor or two and make you a pair of counter-bracelets. There is one Kitsune that I know that knows a few things about augmentation seals, since they're the one who taught me how to make them, not to mention the one that is always active."

Jiraiya thinks for a moment, while Gaara looks between the two, confused. "Alright. That could work. If you can do that, then we'll go to Mt. Enryū, otherwise we're staying here or going to Mt. Myōboku."

Naruto nods and performs the **_Kuchiyose_** , summoning Kujo. "Ohayō, Naruto-sama, what do you need?"

"Ohayō Kujo. I was wondering if it would be possible to have Kuryō procure two anti-gravity bracelets. We'll be coming to Mt. Enryū, but they haven't experience the higher gravity like we have."

"Possibly, but why come to Mt. Enryū?"

"Because Jiraiya need to work on a Bijū seal, and we may need some herbs native to Mt. Enryū. That, and Bijū seem to be more relaxed in summoning realms, even if it isn't their species' realm."

"So you plan to have Jiraiya work on a Bijū seal, you want Mt. Enryū's climate and the herbs to help the process go smoothly, and you want anti-grav bracelets… I'll see what I can do, Naruto-sama. Anything else?" Kujo asks, and after receiving no in reply, disappears in a poof of smoke.

"So that's now done. Let's head back to the village and help repel the enemy. Gaara, you see if you can't talk some sense into any of the Suna-nin." Naruto says and the trio begin making their way back into Konoha.

* * *

 **Odoroki! Ureshī tanjō bi! =** Surprise! Happy Birthday!

 **Nami=** Waves

 **Nishō, shishō, hachishō, jūrokushō, sanjūnishō, rokujūyonshō=** Two Palms, Four Palms, Eight Palms, Sixteen Palms, Thirty-two Palms, Sixty-four Palms

 **Nakama=** Friend (though I've seen it also used to mean Family)

 **Katon: Ry** **ū endma= **Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb

 **Akuma-Sharingan: Ryōtejutsu: Hakyaku no Kyūsonzai=** Demon's Mirror Wheel Eye: Twin-Handed Technique: Destruction of the Nine Flames

 **Kaitsū no Daisan no Me=** Opening of the Third Eye

 **Saikō Zettai Kōgeki: Shukaku no Hoko=** Ultimately Hard Absolute Attack: Spear of Shukaku


	17. Chūnin Exams and More - Part 5

The ANBU Shadows

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Chapter 8 – Part 5

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 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

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Obito regains consciousness to the sound of metal striking against metal. He opens his eye and glances around, seeing Konoha-nin fighting against Suna and Oto-nin. He looks around to find Naruto but he's nowhere in sight. Yuu then appears next to Obito, making quick work of three Suna-nin.

"Yuu-sama, what is going on? Why are we fighting against Suna and Oto?"

Yuu turns to Obito. "Good, you're finally awake. The Kazekage… scratch that, Orochimaru posing as the Kazekage brokered a truce between the two nations and are now invading Konoha. Every capable ninja is currently helping to fend off the invasion." Yuu says before quickly dealing with another attacking shinobi.

"Naruto-kun and his match opponent went off on one of his summons to go and deal with another area of Konoha, but they have yet to return. "Yuu says before sighing and dealing with another two shinobi. "Kurama went up to the Kage booth to support the Hokage. You should go up there and offer support."

Obito nods, standing, before making his way to the Kage booth. As soon as he reaches the nearby roof, a large-purple barrier appears. Obito heads towards it and watches as an unwise ANBU reaches out to touch the barrier, immediately erupting into flames. The ANBU who weren't as unlucky spot Obito and swarm around him, thinking that he is a threat, until they spot his Konoha hitai-ate.

"Is there anything that you ANBU guys can do about this barrier?" Obito asks.

An ANBU with an usagi mask shakes his head. "No. This is a high-ranking barrier technique that requires four users to maintain it, with one at each corner. If they were outside, this wouldn't be an issue; however, they are _inside_ the barrier, meaning that we cannot reach them. They have also blocked off any possible attacks from the inside as well, meaning that even from the inside, this barrier cannot be dispelled."

Obito nods and moves to the barrier but doesn't touch it, instead peering inside. He spots Hiruzen, Kurama, and one other, whom he can only assume is Orochimaru. He returns to Usagi. "Does this barrier cover below and above, or just the sides?"

Usagi things for a moment. "I'm not sure. The top and sides are solid, but I don't think anyone has ever tried to enter from below, seeing as it usually only done while on solid ground. But seeing as we are on a roof, we may be able to punch a hole through the bottom, where the support beams are."

Obito nods and jumps to the ground, where he rolls to absorb the impact. He then begins to look for an entrance into the building, which he quickly finds. One he enters, he looks up and whistles. _'That's a long ways up.'_ He thinks before beginning to walk up the wall before moving to a support beam ten feet below the roof. He examines it trying to locate a weak spot, before spotting a point where the three faces meet, and moves directly under it.

He forms a few hand-seals and inhales. **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_** He then exhales, a massive fireball slamming into the room blasting a hole directly through it. Once the debris clears he notices the hole is clear and jumps up and through it.

He looks around and just barely managed to avoid a massive mud-slide, courtesy of Hiruzen. Kurama lands next to Obito. "Took your sweet time, did you? Now if you don't mind, think you could help us out a bit?" He asks, ducking as a spinning tile-made shuriken whizzes over his head.

Orochimaru forms a string of hand-seals. **_"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei."_** He says, planting his hand to the ground. Four coffins begin to emerge from the ground, however one sinks back in. _'Hmm. It seems that one has failed. No matter, these three should be more than enough.'_

The coffins finish rising, their lids falling off, revealing the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokages; Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, as well as a person that makes Hiruzen pale; Kushina Uzumaki. The three step from the coffins and look around spotting Hiruzen. "Hiruzen, is that you?" Tobirama asks.

"Hahahaha, you're an old man, even more than you were before, dattebane!" Kushina laughs, pointing at Hiruzen, causing everyone present to sweat-drop.

Hiruzen then recovers and turns to Orochimaru with a glare. "You vile snake. How dare you defile the grave of the first two Hokages as well as the wife of the fourth."

The three reanimations then turn to face Orochimaru. "So you're the one who summoned us? Then I guess that this makes us your opponents, Hiruzen." Tobirama says.

This however infuriates Kushina, and she rushes at the snake, catching him off guard as he fist meets his face, sending him tumbling across the room. "You're a vile creature, Orochimaru. And I'm going to be the one to put you down once and for all."

 _'Well that didn't go as planned.'_ The snake Sannin thinks as he climbs to his feet before **_shunshining_** behind the two Kages and brandishes two kunai with tags hanging from them, which he inserts into the backs of their heads, before backing away, then being attacked once more by a fiery Kushina.

"An apology in advance, Hiruzen, but we have to follow the rules of the technique." Tobirama says as the color from his and Hashirama's eyes fade, before he begins to go through a string of hand-seals. **" _Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu_** _(Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)."_ He says and a massive water dragon appears from thin air arching towards and dive-bombing at Hiruzen, who barely dodges the highly destructive attack.

Obito goes through his own hand-seals. **_"Katon: Ryūendma no Jutsu."_** A massive dragon made of white flames then soars towards the two reanimated Kage, which Tobirama counters with another water jutsu. **" _Suiton: Suishōha_** _(Water Release: Water Colliding Wave)."_ A massive twister of water appears, and pretty much floods the inside of the barrier, stopping Obito's attack dead in its path.

Hiruzen flashes through hand-seals and slams his hands to the ground. **_"Dōton: Doryūheki."_** He says as a series of walls appear around himself, Obito and Kurama, protecting them from Tobirama's attack. He looks to Obito "Do you think you could do that attack again? You know, to dries out all the moisture in the air?"

Obito shakes his head. "Not enough chakra." He says, prompting Kurama to look at him. "What if I helped you with it, would that possibly be enough?"

Obito nods. "Yes, with your Bijū chakra, it would be more than enough, but Naruto gave you that chakra to help, do you really want to give it up?"

"I can't really fight in this body beside with taijutsu, so it would be a waste, and it would be more of to you anyways. Besides, it's not like I'm going to be giving it all to you." Kurama replies.

Hashirama then takes the initiative while they speak to for a string of hand-seals. **_"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan_** _(Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity of a World of Trees)."_ Roots, vines and the like begin to sprout up all over the barrier, surrounding the seven in a lush, forest-like state.

"Now would be a good time to do whatever it is that you are planning to do you two." Hiruzen says before going through hand-seals. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Enkōō: Enma_** _(Summoning Technique: Monkey King: Enma)." A poof of smoke appears and a large monkey appears, garbed in outfit similar to Hiruzen's battle armor, but topped off with a tiger-like striped vest with furred hems, and a maroon sash around his waist._

"Do it Kurama, let's burn this forest to the ground." Obito says, activating his _Sharingan_ and moving his hitai-ate to reveal his other eye. Kurama places his hand on Obito's shoulder and begins pumping his given chakra into the Uchiha, who begins forming seals. "Get ready to cover us, Hokage-sama, cause things are about to get hot in here. Just don't do it too early, otherwise they'll just shield themselves as well." He says, now on the one-handed seals. **_"Akuma-Sharingan: Ryōtejutsu: Hakyaku no Kyūsonzai."_**

"Enma, **_Henge: Kongōnyoi_** _(Transformation: Adamantine Nyoi)."_ Hiruzen calls out. Enma nods and vanishes in a poof of smoke, which fades revealing a large gold-capped bo-staff appears heading towards Hiruzen's outstretched hand.

Obito keeps an eye on the deceased Kages, glancing upwards on occasion. He eventually spots the massive balls of fire and begins counting down. _'Jū… kyū… hachi… nana… roku… go… yon… san… ni… ichi…'_ He thinks before facing Hiruzen. "Now, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen blurs through hand-seals. **_"Dōton: Doryūheki."_** He says, slamming his hands to the ground once more. As soon as the walls appear, the conflagration begins, igniting anything and everything within the barrier.

Hashirama attempts to put up a **_Mokujōheki_** _(Wood Locking Wall)_ but it just bursts into flames as soon as it is created. Tobirama attempts to use a Suiton jutsu, but there is no longer enough moisture in the air for him to do so. Orochimaru and Kushina also can't do a whole lot about the flames, so they are forced to endure them, as are the two reanimated Kage.

Inside of the **_Doryūheki_** box, the trio are sweltering in the heat, but they'd rather sweat than become char-broiled. Eventually the roar of the attack quiets, but Hiruzen waits a moment before undoing the box of mud-turned brick. They look around and noticed that everything is blackened and that the forest is now a bunch of charcoal. The other thing they notice is that one of the walls of the barrier is now missing.

Obito pants from the chakra exhaustion, which Kurama helps to alleviate some.

He looks around, but doesn't see any of their opponents. Then he spots a blackened lump begin moving. The lump bursts open revealing a slime-covered Orochimaru, who then glares at Obito. "You…!" He roars, getting to his feet "You damned brat. I should've recognized that cursed technique the moment you started forming the hand-seals!" He exclaims before looking up, a snake coming from his mouth, from which a sword exits via its own mouth.

Hiruzen's eyes widen in recognition. "You've had the Kusanagi Blade all this time?"

Obito turns to Hiruzen confused and Kurama's eyes widen in surprise. "Obito, whatever you do, do not allow yourself to be cut by that blade. It's a dangerous blade that can poison both humans and summons alike, no matter how strong they are." Kurama says.

"How right you are. It's a shame you've managed to defeat my playthings though, so I think that now I'll beat you as compensation." The Sannin says before lunging at Obito, blade in hand.

Hiruzen pushes Obito to the side and blocks the strike with his nyoi, which he then has Enma lengthen and push the Sannin back. "Watch yourself, Obito. Orochimaru is one of the Sannin. But just because he is, doesn't mean that he's unbeatable. If we play our cards right, we can prevail."

Obito looks to Kurama. "Think you can find Naruto? We might need his help here."

Kurama nods and closes his eyes for a moment. _'Hey kit… you mind coming up to the Kage booth? We could possibly use another hand with Orochimaru.'_

 _'Kinda busy Kurama. Will a clone do?'_

 _'Not sure. Obito just asked me to find you. Not sure what he's planning yet though.'_

It takes a moment for Naruto to reply. _'Alright, I'm on my way. I've left a handful of clones with Jiraiya and Gaara.'_

 _'Jiraiya's here? Heh, bet he would love to torment the snake…'_ He replies before opening his eyes. "The kit is on his way. But… what did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we could somehow seal Orochimaru, or maybe just some of this power. Do you think Naruto is capable of anything like that?"

"Possibly, but I'm not certain. There is a technique that Yuu knows that could possibly work, but Naruto doesn't know it. There's also a technique that I know that may also work, but again, Naruto doesn't know it."

"What about you? Could you perform the technique?"

"I could, but that would mean Naruto would have to relinquish control of his body to me since he doesn't know anything about it." Kurama replies. The two discuss what to do while Hiruzen and Orochimaru battle.

Obito's pondering what to do when a snake lunges straight at him. Obito instinctively draws his ninjato and cleanly bisects the serpent in half, head to tail. More snakes begin appearing and lunging at the pair, but primarily at Obito. The pair fight off the snakes, Obito with his ninjato and a second kunai and Kurama via taijutsu. Four snakes lunge at Obito from different directions, but he gets knocked out of the way.

Obito looks at who pushed him and see Naruto in his place, the snakes hanging, fangs sunk into his arm. The silverette grabs them all and rips them from his arm, tossing them at the snake Sannin. "You need some help Obito?" He asks, offering his hand to the Uchiha.

 _'Kit, if you're willing to work with me, I have an idea. But it will require control of your body to accomplish.'_

Naruto looks over to Kurama who is still dealing with snakes of his own. _'And what do you have in mind?'_

 _'Obito brought up the idea of sealing, or even partially-sealing Orochimaru. But I will need your body for the chakra reserves. You haven't learned this technique yet, so I was going to use it to perform the technique.'_ Kurama replies.

Naruto ponders this. _'What will allowing you to use my body entail?'_

 _'To be honest, it can mean anything, but I don't even need your whole body to do this, even if it would be easier without any restrictions.'_

Naruto nods. _'Okay… and how long will this technique take to perform?'_

 _'I'd say a few minutes at most. We'll need Obito and the old man to distract the snake while I perform the hand-seals.'_

Naruto nods and looks to Obito. "Okay, you and Jijī need to buy me a few minutes to get the technique ready." Obito nods before rushing off to help Hiruzen battle Orochimaru. Kurama disperses in a poof of smoke and Naruto closes his eyes. _'Okay Kurama… my body is yours to use for the technique.'_

Naruto immediately feels the strange sensation of completely losing control of his body. He can still see, but he has no control over where his eyes look to. His Bijū Cloak flares into life around him, before it begins to darken, changing to a deep crimson. His eyes change into fiery orange, and actually whisker appear from his cheeks. His arms then begins to go through a string of seal.

His hands begin to glow a fiery orange as he finishes the seals. Kurama then rushes forward and using Naruto's body's speed, vanishes from sight. _'You got some good speed kit, I approve.'_ He then moves behind Orochimaru and plants his hands to his back, causing the Sannin to flinch in surprise. **_"Kitsunehō: Kitsune no Shīru_** _(Fox Art: Seal of the Fox Path)."_ He says, before jumping back, just in time to avoid the Sannin's blade.

As soon as he felt hand on his back, Orochimaru intensively swung his sword behind him, aiming to at least nick whoever it was with the blade. He turns and sees a Kurama-controlled Naruto smirking, before be begins to feel weak. The Kusanagi blade falls from his grasp and clatters to the ground. "Wha… what did you do to me?" He rasps.

"Hmm… not much. I just sealed away the motor-functions of your arms. Now you can no longer use them. Only a seal master can remove that seal, and there's only one that I know of, and I severely doubt he'd be willing to help you." Kurama replies.

"Damn you brat. Give me back my arms." Orochimaru roars at Kurama.

"Nah, I'm good. Besides, I couldn't remove seal even if I wanted to." Kurama replies, relinquishing control back to Naruto. All of the modified features from Kurama's possession fade and return to normal.

"Damn, you boy. I'll find a way to get my arms back, and when I do, I will make you pay dearly." The Sannin says, before vanishing in a poof of smoke. Naruto spots the Kusanagi blade and moves to pick it up. A snake lunges at his but is stopped by the cloak. He picks up the sword and examines it.

"So what now Naruto. Since, technically, you defeated Orochimaru, you get to decide what you want to do with that weapon. You can keep it as a trophy, or you could give it away." Hiruzen says.

Naruto continues inspecting the blade. "I think I'll hold on to it. Maybe get some actual sword-practice in."

"It's your choice. Just be sure not to misuse it as it is poisonous to humans and summons alike. Remember that, Naruto." Hiruzen says, releasing hold of his nyoi as it returns to Enma's normal form.

"Sarutobi, if we are done here, I'll be taking my leave." Enma says.

"Are you sure that you wouldn't like to be examined first Enma? You blocked a number of strikes from the Kusanagi blade while you were changed." Hiruzen says. "I'm sure Naruto-kun wouldn't mind giving a quick once over."

"The boy? But how could he help with that sword's venomous cuts?" Enma asks, turning to examine Naruto, whose ears twitch. "Ears? Boy, are you perhaps a hybrid of any creature?"

Naruto nods, looking to Enma. "I'm actually a partial-Kitsune. I'm pretty much immune to all forms of poisons, toxins and venoms that to living at Mt. Enryū."

Enma's eyes widen. "You've been to the Legendary Mt. Enryū? Then I take it you're the new Kitsune summoner, no?"

Naruto nods and performs a **_Kuchiyose_** , Kurei appearing in a poof of smoke. "Kon'nichiwa (Hello) Naruto-sama. Do you need something?" She asks before spotting Enma. "Enma-sama?"

Enma looks to the black-furred fox. He blinks once, then twice, then once more. "Kurei? Look how much you've grown since I last saw you." He says before moving to sit on the ground next to the vixen (female fox).

Naruto looks to Hiruzen who looks to Naruto, then they both look to the summons. "Uhh… how do you two know eachother?" Naruto asks.

The Kitsune looks up to Naruto. "The Kitsunes and Saru tribes have been long-time allies. I've known Enma-sama since I was born. All the Kitsunes know Enma-sama, even Kurama-sama."

Narutos eyes then light up. "Hey Enma-san, would you like to meet a friend of mine? I believe you may know him." He then forms hand-seals as the Monkey King turns to him. **_"Tataki Ōgi: Sora no Kage no Fune."_** A poof of smoke appears and lingers before fading to reveal Kurama in his humanoid form.

The fox and monkey stare at the newcomer. "Kurama-san? / Kurama-sama?" Enma and Kurei ask respectively.

Kurama grins foxily, nodding, before being tackled by Kurei and being knocked to the ground. "Geez, Kurei, get off of me." He says, chuckling, before shoving the over-sized fox off of him and getting to his feet. Enma moves to him and looks him in the eyes before embracing him. "It's been too long my old friend. How have you been?"

"Besides having been sealed three times in a row since we last spoke, I'm fine. And to be honest, the kit here isn't that bad of a kid once you get to know him."

Everyone present nods causing Naruto to sweat-drop. "You guys all suck." He says, making everyone present chuckle. The clones Naruto had created earlier dispel, washing Naruto over with their memories. "Suna appears to be surrendering and Oto appears to be retreating. I've got something that I need to take care of, I'll see you all around. Kurei, when you're done here, dispel, then send Kujo to me." He says, before vanishing in a flicker of silver.

Hiruzen blinks before pinching the bridge of his nose, sighing. "He forgot to examine you Enma…" He says before turning to Kurama and Kurei. "Either of you two know what that was about?"

Kurei shakes her head. "I have an idea, but it's not really my place to say. You probably find out later on down the road anyways." Kurama replies.

Hiruzen sweat-drops, before pinching the bridge of his nose once more. "Sometimes that kid is something else… But none-the-less. He knows right from wrong. Let's work on cleaning up the rest of Suna and Oto."

The two summons dispel leaving Hiruzen, Obito and Kurama to head out and do what they can to push the remainders of the failed invasion from the village.

* * *

Naruto reappears next to Jiraiya in a flicker, spotting Gaara nearby, as well as a couple of clones that hadn't dispelled scattered about, mopping up any remaining resistance. "We should be good to go Jiraiya."

Jiraiya turns. "So I see that your assistance was needed after all?"

Naruto nods, holding up the Kusanagi blade. "I even got a new toy."

Jiraiya's eyes widen in recognition. "Where'd you get that? No, better question, _how did_ you get that? That sword has been in Orochimaru's possession for years. There's no way he would've just let you take it."

"Let's just say that the snake lost its fangs. Kurama and I used a technique that took away his ability to use his arms." He says before sealing the sword into a scroll which he then pockets.

Jiraiya blinks. "So his arms are useless? Heh, that ought to make him furious." He says, smirking.

A poof of smoke appears, fading to reveal Kujo, who drops a small box on the ground so he can speak. "Here you go Naruto-sama, two anti-gravity bracelets that will make the gravity one-tenth its norm amount. Kuryō was a bit reluctant to help out at first, primarily due to the fact that these aren't part of the Kitsunes normal items."

Naruto nods and picks up the box, pulling out two bracelets, before scratching Kujo's ears, not having done so in a fair amount of time. He then hands one bracelet to Jiraiya and slips the other one on himself to test it, immediately feeling lighter than air, before removing it. "Put it on and leave it on. You'll feel strange here, but it'll level out once we get to Mt. Enryū."

Jiraiya slips his bracelet on his eyes widening. Naruto then moves to Gaara as he's pushing back the final Oto-nin with his sand. Naruto darts forward and sucker punches the nin in the gut, before turning to Gaara. He holds out the second bracelet as the ninja collapses to the ground behind the silverette.

Gaara blinks and uses his sand to bring the bracelet to himself. "Put it on and leave it on." Gaara does and he then looks to Naruto in wonder. "It's an anti-gravity bracelet, that alters the gravity around the wearer to about one-tenth that of normal gravity." Naruto replies before beckoning the Sannin and his summon over. "This'll be my longest **_Hiraishin_** jump. Take this with you as you dispel, Kujo." He says, handing his summon a seal with an intricate seal on it.

Kujo nods, before taking the seal sheet with his teeth and dispelling. Naruto then creates a clone and hands him a modified seal as well. "Take this to Jijī's office and tell him exactly what it does. If he's not there, leave it on his desk with a note." He says and the clone vanishes in a poof of smoke. _'You ready Kurama?'_

 _'Hai, kit. Just give me a minute to get to your location.'_ Kurama replies. A few minutes later Kurama appears in a poof of smoke. "You guys all ready?" Naruto asks, earning three nods. "Then place your hands anywhere onto me." Once all three have a hand on him, the silverette closes his eyes and focuses. A minute passes before the quartet finally disappear in a flicker of silver.

They reappear, standing atop lush, dark-green grass. Naruto releases a sigh, falling to a seated position on the ground. "Whew… that was a lot harder than I thought it would be." He says, spotting Kujo nearby, ready to offer any help that he can.

Jiraiya and Gaara look around their surrounds, taking in the multitude of colored trees and plants as well as looking up to the sky and also catching glimpses of a number of Kitsune of all different sizes. "So this is Mt. Enryū? It looks a little… I don't know. A bit underwhelming in my opinion." Jiraiya states.

Naruto and Kurama look to eachother before turning to the Sannin. "There's much more to Mt. Enryū than what is easily visible. But you and Gaara won't be able to learn too much, since the Kitsune are fairly fickle around strangers. You may manage to catch a glimpse of them if you're lucky though. While they are wary, they're still going to be curious, as is the nature of the fox. But you will never get a full image of what they look like unless they want you to." Naruto says before turning and heading towards the tree line, followed by Kurama and Kujo, and finally two newcomers.

As the five walk, the Sannin and Suna-nin continue to examine their surroundings. Naruto and Kurama stop for a moment and remove their sandals before continuing barefoot, causing the other two to raise their eyebrows. Naruto turns to look back at them. "If you want, you should try removing your sandals. The ground is soft and full of nutrients that will absorb easily through the skin." He says, before facing forwards again. Jiraiya and Gaara decide to leave their sandals on, though Jiraiya does bend down to scoop up a handful of the earth; dirt, grass, roots and everything normal to healthy soil.

"Incredible. The ground just came straight away, almost like I scooped up a handful of well-sifter soil. I've never seen such a fine soil anywhere." Jiraiya says, examining his handful of earth.

"The soil here is extremely fertile and loose. And due to it being rich in minerals, I've even taken a few mud baths. I believe that the Kitsune Elder's once said that the mud here is almost like that of the told oil of Mt. Myōboku." Naruto replies.

Jiraiya's eyes widen. "Toad Oil? And you've covered yourself in the stuff? Isn't that playing with fire?"

"Remember what I've said in the past Jiraiya. I am a partial-Kitsune. I've become that by being here at Mt. Enryū, consuming Kitsune food, bathing in the mud pits and in general, being exposed to the natural elements of this area. It happens very slowly though, so you two are in no immediate danger, even less so due to the fact that you won't be doing as much as I've done."

Gaara and the Sannin look to eachother then back to Naruto. The quintet continue walking in silence for a few minutes and eventually arrive at a small, yet well-kept shack. "This is my place when I stay here. Kujo, do you think it may be possible to get a pinch of Heavenblossom?"

Kurama and Kujo look to Naruto, though for different reasons. "Are you sure, Naruto-sama?" Kujo asks, earning a nod. The Kitsune hesitates for a moment, before running off to get the herb. _'I think that I might have an idea of what you're up to, kit. Do you want a hand?'_ Kurama asks.

Naruto mentions to the grass, leaf, and animal-skin covered mattress. Gaara blinks before moving to sit on the makeshift bed. A minute late, Kujo reappears with a blue and green plant in his mouth, which he proceeds to drop at Naruto's feet, before making his way from the shack. Naruto picks up the plant and moves to the foot of the bed, and opens a box, pulling out a smaller one from within, which he then hands to Jiraiya. He plucks a petal from the plant and holds it out to Gaara. "Place this under your tongue and leave it there. It won't harm you. It'll allow me to interact with Shukaku while Jiraiya repairs the seal." He says, dropping a green petal into Gaara hand.

Gaara places it under his tongue, and his face crinkles at the taste. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that it's got a funky taste." Naruto says before kneeling near the head of the mattress. Jiraiya kneels near the middle and pulls out a seal, which he passes to Naruto. They have Gaara lay on his stomach after removing his gourd and setting it off to the side, and Naruto places the seal to the back of Gaara's neck. The redhead's eyes slowly close and Naruto places a palm to the nearest temple.

He breathes deeply before closing his eyes and beginning to push his chakra into Gaara in order to enter his mindscape, but earns no results. He switches to using Kurama's chakra tries once more, before soon finding himself within a large, octagonal room, the floor completely covered with sand. Along the walls are chunks of seals, and directly in the middle, chained to at least a dozen eyehooks on the ceiling is Shukaku.

Shukaku's four-pointed, sand-colored and black eyes look directly at Naruto. "What do you think that you are doing here? How did you even manage to get into my territory?"

Naruto's reply is to allow his left eye to turn a slitted crimson. "Look at you Shukaku. Always the same, you old 'coon. You always got to torment your hosts, don't you?" Kurama asks through Naruto's mouth.

Shukaku chuckles. "So it's you Kurama, I should've known. But why should I care about what happens to this brat? I can do whatever I please. I just whisper things to this kid, and he obediently obeys, almost like a pet dog. That's all that I like about him, but otherwise, I could care less."

"You really need to get over your superiority complex, Shukaku. Look at Kurama and I, we get along almost like brothers. I've even allowed him access to the real world. Wouldn't you want to possibly be able to do the same?" Naruto asks.

"The kit is right. Why don't you try actually communicating instead of tormenting the kid? I used to despise the kit when we first met, but now, like he said, we're almost like brothers." Kurama replies. "Haven't you noticed that unlike everyone else who's met the kid, that Naruto is unafraid of him? That's because he has learned to suppress that emotion."

"My fears have slowly been pushed aside, one-by-one. The only thing that even remotely scares me now is the thought of losing everyone and everything that I care about." Naruto says. "And in order to help deal with that fear, I tend to look at the good in everyone, even if they're unable to see it in themselves. I'd even willingly give my own life to protect those that I care about."

Shukaku listens as the two continue to talk. "So you are trying to say that I should listen to this brat, even though I could care less about him? How would he even be able to help me in the first place?"

Naruto sweat-drops. "Are you really that dense that you didn't just hear that I told you what the kit allows me to do? The kid would possibly even be able to do the same for you if you just give him the benefit of the doubt. Wouldn't you like to be able to explore the outside world on your own accord after all these years?" Kurama asks.

Shukaku blinks. "You mean that you can be outside of your own brat, and do whatever it is that you want?"

Naruto nods. "To an extent. Even though I am able to be outside of the seal, I still have to technically obey his rules. He offers me a body, and by using it, I have to abide by his _and_ the village's rules. But it's better than being stuck in the seal day-in and day-out."

Just as Shukaku is about to reply, Naruto and Kurama are ousted from Gaara's mind. Naruto blinks, before turning to Jiraiya. "What happened?"

"I had to modify the seal a bit, so that Gaara would be able to interact with the Bijū. I'm just about to finish working on it anyways. If all goes according to plan, Gaara should also be able to sleep without the fear of the Bijū trying to escape." Jiraiya replies.

Naruto nods and looks to Kurama, before nodding his head towards the door. The two then slip outside. "So do you think that Shukaku will relax a bit?"

Kurama shrugs. "Hard to know for sure with that old 'coon. He's the most stubborn of the Bijū, but he'll defiantly think about it. He most likely won't allow this opportunity to slip through his grasp." The two then head back into the shack.

Jiraiya is adding the final touches to the seal, and a minute later he pulls away, before removing the seal from Gaara's neck. He then turns to Naruto and Kurama, tucking the seal away and brushing the dirt from his legs. "I've done what I can to the seal, but now it's a waiting game. The seal was defiantly crude, but I did what I could to try and make it a bit more symmetrical."

Gaara shifts, before rolling onto his back and sitting up, his eyes opening. "Are you finished?"

Jiraiya nods. "You should start by attempting to make contact with Shukaku." Naruto replies, causing Gaara to look to him. "How do you propose I do that?"

Naruto blinks, unsure how to really explain it, but gives it his best shot. "Umm… good question. I guess… imagine a door in your mind, then imagine passing through it. I don't really know how to explain it any better than that."

Gaara closes his eyes and attempts to imagine a door, but to no avail. He tries once more, but still has no luck. But when he opens his eyes, instead of seeing the shack, he is within the octagonal chamber that houses a shackled Shukaku.

The two look at eachother. "So my host has finally decided to grace me with his presence. How quaint." Shukaku says.

Gaara says nothing, instead looking around the room, noticing the seals along the walls, before looking back to Shukaku. "So you're my inner demon?"

"What of it? I'm only being… civil, because Kurama and his brat told me to try and get along with you. But what I'm really wanting is a chance to be outside again, and if it means that I need to be nice to you, then so be it."

Gaara blinks. "So you want to move around like Kurama then? Do you even have a human form? Because I doubt people would be thrilled to have a giant raccoon being released in the middle of the village."

"I do have a human form, but if I tried changing, I'm pretty sure these chains would rip this body in half, though it's not like that would kill me due to this all only being one-big chakra projection. If you could change the way these chains are placed, I could show you. You just need to picture the changes in your mind and they should take effect on their own."

Gaara closes his eyes, picturing the chains all disappearing except for the one around Shukaku's neck. One by one the chains begin to vanish while the remaining one lengthens and thickens a bit. Shukaku flexes his muscles, his body having gotten sore from being stuck in the position the chains had left him in.

"See? It's as easy as that." Shukaku says, before beginning to focus. A couple minutes pass and reveal a male figure. He has short, sandy-colored hair, umber eyes, black and white furred raccoon ears and tail sprout from his head and tailbone, respectively. He is also barren of any clothing, giving a view of his dark-toned skin. He then stretches. "I missed this form. It's been years since I last changed, and it's kind of strange being so small once again, but I enjoy it."

Gaara examines Shukaku. "You look kind of similar to Kurama. Can all Bijū change forms?"

Shukaku nods. "All Bijū can change forms, and they all have a rare summoning contract. Kurama's contract is the Kitsunes, and mine is the Tanukis. They Tanukis, while not extremely adept at combat, are skilled in information and material gathering. Raccoons are known to have sticky fingers, and tend to grab anything that they can get their paws on that seems interesting to them, just a warning."

Gaara nods. "So how would I go about allowing you access to the outside world?"

"Try asking Kurama's brat. I don't know any techniques that could help you except for the **_Kage Bunshin_** , but it is too fragile of a form. All it would take to dispel it is one hit, no matter how small it was. Also know, you don't have to enter here to speak with me, just focus on my chakra and speak in your head. I'll be able to hear you, and you'll be able to hear me, though you already know that."

Gaara then closes his eyes and imagines the door once more – or not – and reopens them, revealing the inside of Naruto's shack. "So how did it go?" Naruto asks.

Gaara turns his head. "I am able to communicate with him now. He wasn't to be able to roam like Kurama does, but the only technique that he knows is the **_Kage Bunshin_** , which he said was too fragile. He said for me to ask you."

Naruto blinks. "Well, I do know one technique, but I don't know if it would be allowed for me to teach it to you." He says, before pondering for any alternatives. "What about a **_Kaze Bunshin_** _(Wind Clone)_ , can you make one of those?"

Gaara shakes his head. "I can make a **_Suna Bunshin_** _(Sand Clone)_ , but it's very mobile. It's more for use with the **_kawarimi_**."

Naruto turns to Jiraiya and Kurama. "The only real possibility that I can think of if one of nīchan's techniques. It's not my right to tell other people, but… I'll do it anyways, but only this one time. You all need to promise not to tell nīchan though." He says, earning three nods.

"Jiraiya, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to step outside though. I can't really ask Kurama to leave, since he would be able to see it anyways, not to mention, it's the same thing I use to allow him to roam anyways." Naruto says. Jiraiya nods, before stepping out of the shack. Naruto then faces Gaara. "Once I teach you this, you cannot use it around my nīchan, understood?" He asks, earning a nod.

Naruto then shows the redhead the string of required hand-seals. "It's a fairly simple technique, and it doesn't really require a whole lot of chakra. Once you finish the seals, you need to say or think the technique's name; **_Sora no Kage no Fune_**. Once the clone is made, then you'll just channel Shukaku's chakra into it. Depending on how much you add to it will determine how long it will last. You can also add more chakra at a later time if you want to allow it to remain for a longer time, but it needs to be done before it dispels."

Gaara nods before forming the hand-seals. **_"Sora no Kage no Fune."_** A poof of smoke appears, revealing a very much paled, cross-legged version of the redhead, even the clothes and hair being whitewashed. He then places his hand on the clone and begins to channel Shukaku's chakra into it.

The clone eventually erupts in a plume of smoke, before clearing and revealing Shukaku's naked human form. Shukaku stands, albeit with some difficulty. "What's with this gravity? Why's it so hard to move?"

"Oops, I guess I should've had you ask if Shukaku's ever dealt with increased gravity. My bad, Shukaku." Naruto says, while Kurama chuckles at the struggling Tanuki-hybrid. Naruto unseals a scroll followed by some clothes, which he holds out to Shukaku. The Bijū takes them and begins putting them on, struggling a bit against the gravity. "Ha, ha, laugh it up. I wasn't expecting to experience my first bought of freedom to be at Mt. Enryū of all places." He says before stretching, allowing his body to adapt.

Jiraiya enters once he hears the new voice. "So you are the Ichibi, erm… Shukaku?" He asks, scrutinizing the Bijū. "The name's Jiraiya, the Toad Sage of Mt. Myōboku."

Shukaku turns. "Toad Sage? Then why the name of the nine hells are you here in the Kitsune homezone?"

"Because he's the one who modified Gaara's seal. He's the one you should thank for being able to now roam outside of Gaara's body." Naruto replies.

Shukaku blinks. "Thanks then, I guess, for making this opportunity possible."

Jiraiya nods. "We should get going. I'm beginning to think that the Kitsunes really don't want all these non-Kitsunes or summoners here. Shukaku might be fine, but Gaara and I are not." He says, prompting Kurama and Naruto to nod.

Naruto then looks to everyone present. "Well then, I guess we should prepare to leave. Are you all ready? Just do what we did on our way here, and I'll get us out of here." Everyone places a hand onto Naruto who closes his eyes and focuses, before they all vanish in a flicker of silver.

They all appear in Hiruzen's office, making the Hokage jump in surprise as well as a team of ANBU appear and surround the group. Hiruzen dismissed the ANBU. "I really should've been expecting that. I got your note, Naruto, but can I ask why you are with Jiraiya, a Suna-nin, and a second animal-hybrid?"

Naruto then begins explaining the situation to Hiruzen, about how Gaara had warned him about the invasion and how he was supposed to be the main assault unit, but defected from that plan. He tells of how he explained to Jiraiya about Gaara's poorly made seal and how Jiraiya agreed to help. Then he explains how they had been at Mt. Enryū, where Jiraiya had modified the seal and how Gaara could now communicate with Shukaku, as well as the fact that the second animal-hybrid is Shukaku. "Speaking of which, you two can now remove those bracelets."

Jiraiya and Gaara both tug the bracelets off, feeling gravity reassert its hold on them, before they hand them to Naruto, who pockets them. Hiruzen then looks to Naruto. "If you are all done, you are all dismissed. Naruto, would you mind remaining for a moment?"

The rest of the people in the room – barring Kurama – begin to make their way out of the office. Gaara turns and faces the silverette. "Thank you. I hope that we may run into eachother later on down the road." He then exits the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

Hiruzen sighs. "You really are a handful, Naruto. But you're also caring, selfless as well as open minded. Tell me this though, what do you think makes a good leader?"

Naruto looks at Kurama who shakes his head, remaining silent, before looking back at Hiruzen. "Well… A good leader is someone who knows what is best for their followers. They're the ones who people look up to for advice and support when it is needed. They look out for others, even if it's unnecessary."

Hiruzen nods, before looking to his desk and writing something. "And what about a squad captain? What makes a good one of those?"

Naruto blinks. "I guess… the ability to think about the mission as well as your team or squad. The mission may come first, but survival is almost as, if not more, important. It's also important to know how to utilize an asset when it's used, and make the most out of it; whether it be a jutsu, a tool, information, or even a fellow shinobi. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's important to think things through before you act upon them."

Hiruzen nods and writes something else down. "Correct, albeit loosely so. I just wanted to make sure that you understood that, and hearing it come from you did just that." He says, before leaning down to pick something up. When he returns to a seated position, he proceeds to toss something large and green to Naruto.

The silverette catches the object and stares at it, before looking to Hiruzen. "Are you sure?"

Hiruzen nods. "Hai. You performed exceptionally in the exams, even though they technically were never fully finished. You helped stop the invasion, sealed away the abilities of a powerful nuke-nin saving me in the process via Kurama and Obito, as well as helped an ally nation by resolving a possible catastrophe waiting to happen, not to mention everything that you have accomplished in the past with Yuuzuki.

"I say that you more than deserve that vest. Starting now, you are officially a Chūnin of Konoha. You, Shikamaru and one other were all promoted in Konoha. Speaking of the other…" He says, before tossing Naruto a second vest. "Pass that vest on to Obito when you run into him. He's the third to be promoted, and he did similar to what you did, though to not quite so grand a scale."

Naruto catches the second vest, slipping the first one he received on over his bare chest, his vest and shirt probably buried in the ground of the arena where he and Gaara fought. He nods. "Anything else that you need, Jijī?"

Hiruzen rolls his eyes at Narutos' nickname. Even after becoming Chūnin, he still refuses to address him properly. "Nothing else, Naruto. You are dismissed. Make sure to tell Obito congratulations as well."

Naruto nods as Kurama moves next to the silverette, and the two disappear in a flicker of silver, reappearing in their room. Naruto spots Obito on his bed, asleep. He chuckles, before moving to his bed, and gently shaking the Uchiha awake.

Obito rolls over and sits up, Naruto hiding the second vest behind his back and barely making it hang from the clip on the back of his pants that help hold his belt in place. Obito looks to Naruto, rubbing his eye. "Naruto? Oh, you made Chūnin. Lucky… I'm still a Genin..." He says, trailing off and looking down.

"Yes, I made Chūnin, but so did two others in Konoha. Shikamaru is the other but there's still one more." Naruto says.

"I doubt it's me though. I mean… I've only been back in service for about a month. It's unlikely that I received a promotion."

Naruto rolls his eyes and looks to Kurama who shakes his head. He chuckles and pulls the second vest from behind his back before tossing it onto Obito's lap. "Stop jumping to conclusions, you dolt."

Obito looks up to Naruto. "You mean, I actually was the other one promoted?"

Naruto and Kurama both nod. "According to Jijī, you helped save him during the invasion, and he took that into consideration. He also said to tell you 'Congratulations'."

Obito looks to the vest on his lap, before grasping it. "Wow… I wasn't actually expecting to be promoted on my first try."

"There's going to be a lot expected of you now, Obito. Keep that in mind when you don that vest. You'll be expected to also act as squad leader on certain missions from now on."

Obito nods, before standing and slipping the vest on. "How's it look, do you think that I fit the role?"

Naruto smirks. "You actually kind of resemble a younger Kakashi in some ways. At least from what I've seen from his old Chūnin graduation photo."

Obito chuckles. "I've never saw Kakashi wear a Chūnin vest as a kid, so I wouldn't know. But I feel kind of important now. Like, more than I did before."

"So how about we go out and get some food to celebrate our promotions?"

Obito nods. "That sounds good." The two then vanish from the room in a flicker of silver, leaving Kurama behind.

Kurama rolls his eyes and sighs, before vanishing is a poof of smoke.

* * *

 _ **And there we go. Chapter 8 complete in its entirety... my hands hurt. Anyways, I'm going to take a little break from typing to give my hands a little time to rest before I begin typing up Chapter 9. But until then, a little question. Should I create a posting that holds nothing but all of the translations that I use throughout my works, posting each of my works per chapter? It's just an idea that I thought of, and when I asked my beta, he said I should see what you all want. Anyways, until next time. Ja ne.**_

* * *

 **Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu=** Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique

 **Suiton: Suishōha= ** Water Release: Water Colliding Wave

 **Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan=** Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity of a World of Trees

 **Henge: Kongōnyoi=** Transformation: Adamantine Nyoi

 **Jū… kyū… hachi… nana… roku… go… yon… san… ni… ichi… =  
** Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one…

 **Mokuton: Mokujōheki= ** Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall

 **Kitsunehō: Kitsune no Shīru=** Fox Art: Seal of the Fox Path

 **Kon'nichiwa=** Hello

 **Vixen=** Female fox

 **Kaze Bunshin=** Wind Clone

 **Suna Bunshin=** Sand Clone


	18. The Herbal Request

The ANBU Shadows

* * *

Chapter 9 - The Herbal Request

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

* * *

 ** _So before I begin, let me say that I wasn't too happy with how this chapter initially was written, but I really didn't want to scrap it and start over, so I tweaked it a bit and added a few new things to it. I also couldn't find a good place to break this chapter into two part, so it's going to be posted with more words than my normal set limit, though Chapter 8 had a few chapters like that. Thanks again to my beta NyteBlayde904 for running through this chapter and proofing it for me. Anyways, enough of my rambling, here's Chapter 9._**

* * *

 ** _===A Few Days Later===_**

Naruto is sitting on his bed and meditating, Obito is in the shower, and Yuu is out on a mission. Naruto shifts – although not completely – into his Kitsune form, leaving him in what he calls his hybrid form, similar to that of Kurama's human form. His silver tail swishes gently back and forth before finally coming to a still on the mattress; but that fact still doesn't interrupt his meditation, as he continues breathing deeply.

Obito exits the bathroom and moves to his futon. He looks to Naruto, but remains quiet so as not to interrupt the silverette. He rolls his eyes when he notices Naruto's hybrid features, and how the silverette is oblivious to them. He then lays down on his bedding and stares up at the ceiling.

The room remains quiet for a while before Naruto finally opens his eyes. He moves to get off his bed and his tail brushes up against his hand. He grabs it and lightly strokes it, running his fingers through the soft fur, before finally returning to normal and standing, stretching.

"So what are you going to do today, Obito?" Naruto asks, looking down to the older youth. Obito tilts his head back a bit to look at Naruto, albeit upside down. "I'm not sure. What about you?"

Naruto shrugs. "I was thinking on maybe going on a mission today. I haven't gone on one in a while… I'll be back later." He says disappearing in a flicker of silver, reappearing outside Hiruzen's office. He knocks, then enters once given permission to do so. "Ohayō, Jijī."

Hiruzen looks up from his paperwork. "Ohayō Naruto-kun. What can I do for you today?"

"Are there any missions? I haven't done one in a while, and I'm kind of just looking for something to do."

Hiruzen looks to his desk and spots a note, which he reads. He then moves to the requests and pulls out a few and places them on his desk. "I've got these available, but I'll need to ask a favor."

Naruto moves to the desk and examines the requests, frowning at the difficulties. "I'm assuming you want me to fill in for another squad captain, is that correct?"

Hiruzen nods. "That is correct. The team's Jōnin sensei is out on another mission at this moment, and the team had been promised to be taken on a non-D-Ranked mission.

Naruto sighs, before looking at the requests again, and one catches his eye; an acquisition and delivery mission. He shows it to Hiruzen. "This one doesn't seem to be too difficult, and I think it would also allow the Genin a chance to study geography that isn't Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire)."

Hiruzen looks at the request and nods. "So Kusa (Grass) needs some fairly rare herbs?" He says, before taking and studying the list on the request. "To be honest, I don't recognize any of these herbs, and I'm not sure if we would even have them in stock." He says, handing the request back to Naruto, who studies it once more.

"Which is why I said a retrieval and delivery. Most of these I recognize, and could fairly easily acquire… but Shivertap is one I don't recognize." He says laying the request down and unsealing his herbal journal and flips through it. His eyes widen when he finally comes across the entry and he looks to Hiruzen. "Looking at this herb, I'd say this mission is beyond a C-Rank, and possibly even a B-Rank if the team isn't properly prepared."

Hiruzen blinks. "What do you mean? Naruto hands him the journal and points at the herb's entry. "The location of the herb is Suishōshimo Dōkutsu no Kōri (Frost-Crystal Caverns of Ice), that's why. It's quite possibly the coldest location in the entirety of the nations, not to mention the treacherous terrain leading to the caverns." Naruto replies.

"How cold are we talking Naruto? Because a little frigid air won't raise a mission's difficulty."

Naruto blinks. "You've never heard of the Frost-Crystal Caverns? The temperatures reach dozens in the middle of summer to hundreds in the middle of winter below zero. Your blood would freeze in minutes to seconds if you're ill-equipped. Not to mention the creatures that live around the caverns." He replies, biting his lip. "I could possibly handle this mission solo, but this could be suicide for almost any team – even myself alone would be pushing it. I can only think of one possible way to execute this mission, but I'll need to be given some time to prepare my inventory to do so. I can take the team, but only under a few conditions."

"And they are?"

"One, I have immediate unquestionable access to the **_Hiraishin_** seal located in the middle of this room in case we need to make a hasty retreat. Two, I get to bring an additional person to help, and I've already decided who it will be. Three, you contact Kusa, and have them change the mission's difficulty. Four, I have full jurisdiction over the equipment in the ANBU HQ, since the best gear for severe weather missions is located there."

Hiruzen thinks for a minute, running over the conditions in his head. "All right, I'll allow your conditions. You will have a total of four hours to prepare. I'll summon the Genin in order to brief them."

Naruto disappears in a flicker of silver and reappears in his room. He turns to Obito who's still on his futon. "What do you say to a mission?"

Obito looks up. "What kind?"

"An acquisition and retrieval mission."

"That doesn't too hard. But you seem a little bit… antsy. What's the catch?"

Naruto explains the mission, and how Kusa screwed up the difficulty. "So Kusa needs some herbs, and one is in the coldest location in the nations? And they labeled it as a _C-Rank?_ Sure, I'll come along."

"Then come with me. We need to get the gear ready for the mission." Naruto says, before heading to the door, Obito getting up and following. The duo then turn and head in the direction opposite of the exit, heading deeper into the building. "Keep this between us okay? I'm not supposed to be bringing anyone this way."

"How come? What's down here?"

Naruto stops and turns to face Obito, and breathes deeply before exhaling. "This building is actually the ANBU HQ." He says quietly. "This hallway is adjacent to a number of ANBU operative rooms. Out of all the ANBU in this building, only a couple know that this hallway is even here. There are only two ways in, one on both ends of this hallway."

Obito's eye widens. "We're right next to where the ANBU reside? Why exactly do you guys live here anyways?"

Naruto bites his lip. "It's not my place to say. I promised nīchan that I would never tell anyone, and just telling you this small bit is breaking that promise. Let's get this out of the way and leave it behind us." He says continuing down the hall, Obito following silently.

Naruto comes to a wall and places his hand against it, causing it to fade away, or so it seems. Naruto looks through, before signaling to Obito to follow. "Be especially quiet in here. Just grab what I tell you and touch nothing else." He says in an almost whisper. Obito nods as Naruto points to a rack of bodysuits and holds up five fingers. "Make sure that they are all about our size." Obito then moves to the bodysuits and begins checking through them.

Naruto himself moves to another area and grabs five of everything he needs; boots, thermal-socks, insulated pants, long-sleeved thermal shirts, thermal-underwear, and see-through face covers. He pulls a scroll from a nearby shelf and begins sealing each set of gear in their own separate seals; pants in one, boots in another, etc.

Obito spots a rack of one-inch thick booklets. He grabs one and opens it to a random page, his eyes widening. He moves to Naruto and shows him the book, which Naruto snatches away and closes. "Don't mess with anything. You're not even supposed to be in here, but I'm having you help me since I have permission from Jijī to get this gear." He says, and points to a rack full of cloaks and holds up five fingers once more. As Obito moves to the cloaks, Naruto looks back to the book and reopens it to the page Obito had shown him.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Name:** Lynx; Real Identity Unknown

 **Features:** White Hair, Average Build

 **Height:** About Six Feet

 **Age:** Estimated to be around thirty to forty

 **Rank:** SS

 **Notes:** Wears black ANBU armor and a mask resembling that of a greatcat; Prefers taijutsu or kenjutsu combat; Commonly paired with a second black armored being that wears a mask resembling a fox; Flee on Sight

 **Bounty:** 50,000,000 ryō, Dead or Alive

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto scrutinizes the photo that is with the information, before flipping the page.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Name:** Kitsune; Real Identity Unknown

 **Features:** Silver Hair, Average Build

 **Height:** About Five Foot Five

 **Age:** Estimated to be around eighteen

 **Rank:** SS

 **Notes:** Wears black ANBU armor and a mask resembling that of a fox; Prefers taijutsu combat; Fūton ninjutsu has been noted to be used, as well as crimson colored fire; Also noted to have a black colored ninjato; Commonly paired with a second black armored being that wears a mask resembling a greatcat; Flee on Sight

 **Bounty:** 45,000,000 ryō, Dead or Alive

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

He reads the information and sweat-drops at the age estimation. _'There's no way that I seem to be old… do I?'_ He then looks at the image, his ANBU-self looking back at him, his ninjato held before him ready to be used. _'How did they even manage to get this picture of me?'_ He closes and pockets the book as Obito returns with the cloaks, which Naruto seals, before closing and pocketing the scroll.

"Let's not overstay out welcome, ne?" I still need to contact the Kitsune for a favor." Naruto says, following Obito back through the faux-wall, and re-sealing it, before heading back to their room. When they get back, Naruto performs the **_Kuchiyose_**. When the smoke clears, it reveals Kurei. "What can I do for you Naruto-sama?"

Naruto squats near the fox. "I need some of each of these herbs. It's a big request, but it's for a mission." He says, placing the list on the ground in front of Kurei. The Kitsune scans the list before looking to Naruto. "Some of these are really rare. I could get them, but… for a list like this, I don't think the elders will be too happy."

 _'Kit, touch the paper and draw a circle with your chakra, before channeling mine into the center of the circle.'_ Kurama says.

Naruto does, and a kanji of Kitsune and nine appear in crimson. Kurei's eyes widen. "Oh… they're really going to have a field day with this. I'll be back later Naruto-sama." She says, picking up the list before dispelling. _'What exactly was that, Kurama?'_

 _'Let's just say that the elders can kiss my paw._ That _was my seal, and it tells the elders exactly who is asking for those herbs. If they have any problems, my seal pretty much tells them to shove it.'_ Kurama replies, chuckling.

Naruto scoffs. _'It almost looks like you're throwing your status around to me, but hey, if it works, I'm not going to complain.'_

Two hours later, Kurei reappears with a scroll in her mouth, which she places on the floor. "Here are the herbs that you asked for Naruto-sama. The elders were definitely in a funk though, but due to Kurama-sama's seal, they couldn't ignore it. See you around." She says, before disappearing once more.

Naruto moves to the scroll and checks it, whistling as he unseals one of the herbs. "I wasn't expecting this much." He says out loud to himself.

 _'They're probably the entire herb, roots and all, so that they will be able to be replanted.'_

 _'Even so, it's still more than what was really necessary. I can kind of see why the elders were not happy though.'_ Naruto replies, closing the scroll and pocketing it.

Another hour passes and Naruto gets up and stretches. "You ready to go Obito?" Obito nods, mimicking Naruto, before the two disappear and reappear in a flicker of silver outside of Obito's office. Naruto knocks, and the two enter when given permission. The first thing Naruto notices are the Genin that will be on the team. Even with their backs facing him, he still can easily recognize them. "So the team I'm filling in for as captain is team ten." He says, causing the Genin to turn.

"Naruto? Obito? What are you two doing here?" Kiba asks.

"I believe he just said why, Kiba." Hinata says, he voice quiet. "He's filling in for Kurenai-sensei."

Naruto nods. "That's true, but only partially. Obito will be coming along as well as co-captain. Have you been briefed yet?" He asks, and earns three head shakes, causing him to sweat-drop as he looks at Hiruzen before sighing. He then proceeds to explain the mission.

"A possible A-Rank mission? Awesome." Kiba exclaims enthusiastically.

"Cool your jets Inuzuka. This mission isn't to be taken lightly. But, I do plan on us succeeding with it, but to do so, we will need to be properly geared for it." Naruto says, pulling out the scroll with the gear inside of it. "We will all be changing into these clothes, and you will return them at the end of this mission, understood?" Three nods are his reply.

Naruto then moves to Hiruzen's desk. "Do you mind, Jijī?" Hiruzen motions to his desk, allowing Naruto reign of command. Naruto unseals the gear and piles them onto Hiruzen's desk, one of each item per pile. "You can change in the back room. It all may seem a bit dark for your tastes, but that's just due to the ANBU-reg cloth that's used on them. It's sturdy, and it will do what it's made for."

He then turns to look at Shino. "Your Kikaichu will need to remain inside you at all times." He then turns to Kiba. "I would recommend leaving Akamaru here, but if you must bring him along, keep him inside the cloak at all times." He says, earning two nods.

Thirty minutes later, the five ninja are changed with Shino and Hinata already wearing the cloaks. Kiba and Obito inspect themselves. "I look pretty good." Kiba says, causing everyone to sweat-drop. The three then don their own cloaks, Naruto wishing he had his mask to complete the look.

"Keep the face covers off until we get closer to Kōri." He says, turning to face Hiruzen. "The herbs are all sealed away, and I believe it is now time for us to be off." He says, and then remembers something, and disappears in a flicker of silver, reappearing a few moments later. He holds one of two ninjatos out to Obito. "Just in case. Warm hands and cold metal don't mix too well. The wrappings will help make it easier to wield if a battle should ever arise." Naruto says, facing Obito.

"What about us?" Kiba asks.

Naruto turns to face Kiba. "Do you even know how to wield a ninjato, Kiba?"

Kiba shakes his head. "No, but it can't be that difficult. I've seen you use yours before."

"Okay then." Naruto says, holding out his ninjato, handle towards Kiba, surprising Hiruzen and Obito. "If you can show me with five attempts that it is easy to wield, then I will go and get you one to use."

Kiba smirks and grabs the sheath and blade, before blinking at its heft. "What the… why is it so heavy?"

Obito almost face-faults. "Naruto, I think Kiba should try with mine. Yours is weighted."

Naruto shakes his head. "I deactivated the weight seal. The left over weight is primarily from the sheath, which he never would've an issue with if he hadn't taken the entire thing."

Kiba blinks and unsheathes the blade. "So the weight is mostly from the sheath… cool." He says, before lunging at Naruto, who easily parries the strike with a jab to Kiba's wrist. "One." Naruto says.

The other three Genin watch as Kiba tries and fails to land a single hit on Naruto. "And that makes five." Naruto says.

Kiba blinks. "Wow. Okay, I'll admit, this is definitely harder to use than it seems. Why is that though?"

"One is because of the way you're holding it." Naruto says, turning to Obito, who offers his. "Look at how I hold it, and compare it to how you hold it."

Kiba looks between the two weapons. Naruto's is held in a reverse-grip, over his chest, while he is holding it like a kunai. He reverses his hold, and Naruto nods. "That is how you would want to hold it while defending, and attacking with it like that will make it harder for me to parry your strikes by blocking your arm, though it's also harder to attack like that as well.

"Just holding it correct, still doesn't mean you can use it correct." He says, lunging at Kiba, before disappearing and reappearing behind him, blade held to Kiba's throat. "You're also not fast enough to be able to get around my guard. You switch your grip when you're attacking, and flip it back when defending." Kiba freezes and Naruto pulls away. "A ninjato isn't the same as a kunai. It's longer, heavier, and it's more unwieldy. However, my ninjato is unique though… channel your chakra into it."

Kiba does, and the blade glows a faint blue, almost white. "Whoa… what is that?"

"My ninjato is made from Chakrinite, or Chakra Metal. It helps focus your chakra to make the blade sharper." Naruto says, and pulls out a kunai. "Stop channeling your chakra and strike the kunai with the ninjato." Kiba does and pulls the blade away. "Very little damage has been done. Now, channel your chakra and do it once more." Kiba does, and this time he cuts a small nick into the kunai.

"See? Your chakra can make the blade sharper. But it doesn't have to necessarily be Chakrinite." He says, channeling his own chakra into Obito's blade, a sky-blue glow appearing around the blade. "Chakrinite will just help to make it more effective." He then hands the kunai to Obito, before cutting halfway through the knife with Obito's ninjato. He then reaches to Kiba for his own ninjato, handing Obito his. "Now watch." He says, channeling his chakra once more. A bright blue glow appears as well as the faint sound of grinding. "This could easily cut through a kunai, and I'm not even channeling my chakra to its fullest."

He channels a bit more, and the glow begins to change to a purplish hue, the grinding sound now more of a whine. "This could probably cut through a foot of steel like a hot knife through butter." He channels more, the glow now a vibrant red color, him using nothing but Kurama's chakra. "I've never had to use this. I'm not entirely sure what would happen, but I know that my blade is the only one that could possibly handle it, since it has a seal to help regulate it. If I tried to use that on any other blade, it would shatter." He finishes, and stops channeling his chakra.

"But enough about ninjatos and chakra, we really should be getting ready to leave for the mission." Naruto says, and sheathes his blade, tucking it away inside the cloak. "You three ready?" He asks, earning three nods, before tuning to face Hiruzen. "We're off then. We'll see you when we get back, Jijī."

The quintet then make their way from the office, exiting the tower and making their way to the main gate, before passing through it, passing by Izumo and Kotetsu. They head north towards Tetsu no Kuni (Land of Iron), travel through the nation, fighting off a handful of bandits that thought they would be easy prey, and catching a boat north to Yuki no Kuni (Land of Snow).

As they cross the bay, the sun is beginning to set. The make it to a small town just as the moon is fully appearing in the sky. They rent a room and take turns keeping watch throughout the night. The next morning they eat and then continue on their trek towards their primary destination.

"So any idea what Kusa and Kōri are like?" Kiba asks.

"Kusa is not too different from Konoha, except it's usually warmer since it's close to Kaze no Kuni (Land of Wind), and there are also noticeably less trees. Kōri however, is cold year-round and is almost covered in ice and snow. Speaking of the cold…" Naruto motions to his sleeves. "…there are pockets inside of your sleeves for your hands. Try not to pull them out once we enter Kōri unless necessary, especially once we arrive at the caverns."

The other four find the concealed pockets. "How do you know so much about ANBU gear, Naruto?" Obito asks.

"You should know why Obito. Nīchan and I provide the gear and equipment for the ANBU. Don't you think that we at least test the prototypes beforehand?"

"You provide the ANBU with their equipment?" Kiba asks, before scoffing. "Right… and I'm the Hokage's right-hand man."

"Actually, Kiba, we do. And as for you being Jijī's right-hand man, there's not a chance in hell that that would happen. I do, however, know who has a high possibility for that honor though. This stuff that we're wearing is ANBU-grade low-temp survival gear. The bodysuit is an insulator that helps retain body heat. The shirt, pants, socks, and underwear are all thermal, so they help provide warmth in the cold. The boots are more to protect your feet, but they can help focus your chakra to stick better on slick surfaces. The face-mask is similar to the bodysuit. And the cloak is a thermal-barrier, designed to prevent sub-zero wind from penetrating and heat from escaping, as well as keeping you completely dry even in torrential downpours."

Everyone – minus Naruto – look at their current apparel, impressed. Obito then looks to Naruto. "Do I even want to know how much this stuff costs?" He asks confusing the team ten Genin. Kiba is about to ask a question when Naruto speaks.

"Probably not Obito. This is definitely not cheap gear, and I've hear that it's hell-and-a-half to make."

Kiba then looks to Obito. "Why'd you ask how much this gear costs?"

Obito looks to Kiba. "Do you remember the outfits Naruto and I were wearing for the exams?" He asks, earning a nod. "Those outfits combine were at least forty-thousand ryō."

Team ten all look to Obito disbelievingly. "Forty-thousand? As if. There's no way those clothes cost that much." Kiba says.

"You really should watch what you say Kiba. One of these days, you may say something that you know very little about, and it could cause consequences that you don't want to deal with. Again, Obito speaks the truth. They were custom-made, ANBU-grade outfits. Obito's was significantly more basic than my own, so it was much cheaper. Mine however, was expensive; I provide exotic materials for my gear. My vest was made of Kitsune fur, a gift from my summons, and it was feather-light yet extremely durable – a shame that it was lost during the exams.

"My shirt and pants were made from the same material as these cloaks. My sandals, you can't purchase, as they were custom-made by myself. I actually make most of my gear. My sandals are weighted, kind of like Lee, though nowhere near as extreme. Normally, I probably weigh about ten times your normal weight. These outfits I'd say probably cost about 100,000 ryō ($907.60 USD/ €801.69 EUR) per set, so altogether, that's around 500,000 ryō ($4,538 USD / €4,008.58 EUR) altogether." Naruto says.

Everyone's – minus Naruto – eyes widen in shock. "100,000?! 500,000?! What the hell?!" Kiba shouts.

Naruto shoots Kiba a glare. "Keep your voice down, even though we're pretty much in the middle of nowhere, you can never be too careful." The quintet continue in silence after that. They eventually enter Kōri and feel the temperature drastically drop. They move to a wooded area and set up camp, and plan to set out early. After they all get some sleep, they set out once more and head to the heart of Kōri, where their objective awaits.

 _'This was almost too easy. Why do I have a feeling that I'm missing something?'_ Naruto asks Kurama.

 _'I don't know kit, but I kind feel the same way. Be careful though, this place is not child's play. It_ will _get colder, the closer you get. Your gear alone may not be able to handle these temperatures.'_

 _I know that, Kurama, but it needs to be done. I'll even go alone if the temperatures get too cold. But I will finish this mission.'_

 _'It's not you who's truly in dange here though. It's the rest of your team. You can always shift into your hybrid of full Kitune form to warm up since they generate more heat. You can use that at night to help keep your team warm.'_

 _'That's true. Besides, I could also have you help out as well if need be. But we don't have any spare outfits.'_

 _'I won't need one. I generate a lot more heat in my human form than you do even in your full form, so I'll be fine.'_

As the quintet get closer to the heart of Kōri, the other four begin to feel the effect of the cold. "Wow, it got cold really quickly. Night is gonna be harsh." Obito says.

"I've been working on a solution for that. The main thing will be to stay near eachother at night so that we share body-heat." Naruto says, causing Hinata to blush. "If push comes to shove, I can summon Kurama as well."

They continue deeper into Kōri, the temperature steadily decreasing. Kiba moves Akamaru into his cloak to keep him warm. Shino can feel his beetles shifting around. Obito and the three Genin slide their hands into their sleeve-pockets. "Aren't you cold Naruto?" Kiba asks, his breath visible.

Naruto shakes his head. "Not really. My body is a bit warmer than everyone else's due to some lingering effects from training at Mt. Enryū. I'll be helping to provide warmth at night." He then looks up to the sky. "Well that sucks. We should find somewhere to set up camp. I have a feeling tonight is going to really suck."

The group comes across a cave and enters it, Naruto making a line of seals around the mouth of the cave, before unsealing the camping gear he always carries with him. He undoes one of three seal he never really uses, a dozen logs appearing. He picks up two and makes a small fire-pit, which Obito lights via a small fireball.

An hour later it begins to snow outside the cave, before rapidly developing into a blizzard. The group huddles near the fire. "Damn. Where'd that snowstorm come from?" Obito asks.

"It's why I said we should make camp earlier. The seals will stop the storm and wind from getting in, but it won't stop the cold. The logs will last for a few hours, so we should use this time to get reasonably warm."

The group eat and talk quietly amongst themselves. Eventually the team ten Genin pass out, huddled together, leaving Naruto and Obito awake. Naruto adds another log to the fire, before unsealing a scroll which he opens, unsealing blanket, which he drapes over the sleeping Genin. He then hands one to Obito and sits, wrapping one around himself as well.

"I've been thinking Obito. Maybe I shouldn't have taken this mission." Naruto says quietly. "I mean, these caverns are dangerous, hell, just this region of the nations is dangerous. It's going to be asking a lot out of Kurama and me to help provide additional warmth the closer we get to the caverns."

"So what do you plan on doing then, Naruto?"

Naruto sighs. "I plan on leaving them here with you. I can summon one of the Kitsunes to periodically bring more firewood if it's needed, but I really don't want to risk messing up on our first mission as squad leader, not to mention Chūnin."

"How do you plan on stopping them from following you if you leave them here?"

"I could always place a stasis seal on them, to keep them unconscious. But they will need to wake to eat, drink and do other necessities, so the seals would have to be removed. I could also leave Kurama here to help you out if need be."

Obito nods, before yawning. "I guess that could work, but say we went with the seal route, what then?"

"I… don't know. It could end up hurting their trust in you, me or even both of us. But it's more of a last resort. I plan on heading out before they actually get up, so it will be up to you and Kurama to figure out what to do when they wake."

Obito nods, and closes his eye, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself, before eventually drifting off to sleep.

Naruto stands and moves closer to the entrance and summons Kujo and Kurei. "Ohayō Naruto-sama. Why the late summon?" Kujo asks.

"I'm going to need a favor. Do you thing you two could periodically bring a few logs by fro a fire. I myself don't really need them as much as my team does."

The Kitsunes look to the four sleeping figures, then back to Naruto. "How many hours you got left?"

"There's seven logs left, so that's about four hours and forty minutes."

The Kitsunes nod. "So, how many hours do you think you will be needing?" Kujo asks.

Naruto looks out the cave mouth at the still raging blizzard. "For as long as the storm goes on for, and that could be days for all that I know. Either that or until I call you to stop."

"We can try, but that sounds like a lot of wood." Kurei says.

"It would be much appreciated. We weren't really expecting such a sudden storm, and this cave was really the only suitable hold-out. It was a bit reckless on my part, but I plan on getting my team through this. I'm also leaving Kurama behind to help, so if you need me, I can be reached via Kurama. Though, it shouldn't take too long to do what I gotta do."

The Kitsunes nod. "Is there anything else that you need Naruto-sama?" Kujo asks, earning a head-shake. The dismiss themselves and Naruto summons Kurama.

"You good kit?"

Naruto nods his head. "Hai, I'm just a little tired. I'm going to jump back to Konoha for a moment, you good here?" He earns a nod, and dropping a **_Hiraishin_** seal, he disappears in a flicker of silver. Kurama moves to and sits by the fire.

* * *

Naruto appears in his room and heads into the back room, before opening up the hidden armor locker. He takes out his ANBU mask and looks at it for a moment before sealing it away into a seal on his wrist. He closes the locker and moves to a shelving unit and grabs two thermoses before heading to the kitchen. He makes a pot of lemongrass tea and a pot of soup, since he'll be leaving the rest of the food that he's getting with the others. He seals the filled thermoses before **_shunshining_** to go and get the stuff for his team, applying a **_henge_** as he goes, since he's technically supposed to be out of the village on a mission.

He gets enough food-stuffs to last a week – just to be safe – including a box of granolas that Kurama seems to have become fond of. He seals it all in a scroll after paying, before **_shunshining_** out of sight, then **_hiraishining_** back to the cave, dropping the **_henge_** as he arrives. He moves to sit by Kurama. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing. You should try to get some rest, since you're planning to leave before they wake."

Naruto nods and grabs his discarded blanket and wraps it around himself. He passes the scroll to Kurama. "There's enough there for about a week. There are even some of those granolas that you like." He says, before closing his eyes and passing out, leaned up against Kurama's shoulder.

Kurama grins but remains quiet, keeping a watch over the sleeping quintet, while occasionally adding a new log to the fire, taking care not to disturb the snoozing silverette. Since he receives most of his energy directly from Naruto, he doesn't require much sleep himself. If Naruto is well-rested or resting, than he will be fine; but if Naruto is tired, then he will become sluggish, even if he's filled to the brim with chakra.

Hours pass and the storm is still going, but it had called down a little. He carefully lies Naruto down and stands moving to the mouth of the cave, and scoops up a handful of snow, which he then packs into a ball, before lobbing it at a tree around sixty feet away, hitting it dead-center on it's trunk. The horizon begins to lighten – albeit barely due to the clouds in the sky and the whirling snow – and Kurama moves back to Naruto to shake him awake.

Naruto yawns, climbs stiffly to his feet and stretches. He unseals his thermoses, pours a cup-full of each, and quickly downs them, resealing the containers when he's finished. He then looks out the cave. "Looks like fun out there, Kurama."

Kurama scoffs. "No kidding. I went for a moment, and even with the storm having settle down a bit, I could still barely see anything beyond fifteen feet away."

"At least we're fairly close to the objective. I have a feeling that trudging through this is gonna be a hassle-and-a-half." Naruto says, unsealing his mask, and looking at it. "You know… it's strange. Having friends, but needing to keep this a secret. It's sometimes really tough, and sometimes, I wish that I could just tell someone."

Kurama looks to Naruto. "You actually brought that with you? That's pretty risky, especially after Obito saw Yuu's ANBU picture in the Bingo Book. You know that you can't tell him, right? It could severely compromise you if someone were to find out, and you could even lose your mask."

"I know. I brought it for protection from the wind. The pull-on mask will only do so much, and it's usually worn underneath the ANBU mask anyways." Naruto replies, before sealing the mask away, before looking to the sleeping quartet. "I'm just trying to look out for them. And I can do so significantly more-so as Kitsune, then I can as Naruto. I will have less restrictions, and a more reasonable cause for things that I do while I'm him. I can also do things as him that I normally can't do as me. But he's still me, and I'm still him."

"I understand kit, but it's still risky." Kurama says, putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto pulls away and moves outside the cave and looks up at the brightening grey sky. He inhales and exhales, watching the cloud of steam disappear, before turning back to Kurama. "I'll see you late. If you need me, just give me a mental shout." And with that, he takes off deeper into the heart of Kōri, slipping on the fabric mask and pull up his hood.

Kurama stares out the opening. "How much did you hear, Obito?" He asks, not turning around.

Obito stands, pulling the blanket around him, and moves to Kurama. "Enough. How did you know that I was awake?"

"Your breathing changed. I thought that Naruto had noticed it as well when he turned around, but apparently not." Kurama then turns to face Obito. "But that's not the point. You weren't supposed to hear that conversation. I don't even know why he brought that damn mask with him, even after he explained. So before I do anything, let me ask, what do you think, now that you know a bit more about the shadows that surround Naruto and Yuu?"

"I'm… not really sure. I had a feeling that there was more to them than what meets the eye, but I wasn't really expecting _that_. How many know, like, really know?" Obito asks, quietly.

"The Hokage, Kakashi, Tsuki, likely Iruka, possibly Sai of team seven, and likely the T&I department heads, Ibiki and Anko." Kurama replies. "Oh, and myself, of course."

"Kakashi knows? How long has he known?"

"I'm pretty sure since the beginning. Kakashi is actually an ex-ANBU, and he's kind of been Kit's guardian shadow since birth – only able to do so much due to the laws – until Yuu came along and took the Kit in."

Obito nods. "Kakashi, an ex-ANBU… you know, that's not really all that surprising. He does have that kind of air around him."

"You know that you can't tell anyone, correct. In actuality, I _should_ knock you out and place you in stasis until that bit of information can be erased from your memories, but… I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. But know, if you betray the Kit, I _will_ hunt you down, but I won't kill you, no… but I _will_ make your life a living hell. Understood?" Kurama asks lowly, KI oozing off of him; enough to drill that point home, but not enough to disturb the others.

Obito nods, and the intent fades, before he looks to the still sleeping Genin, then back to Kurama. "So what do we tell them when they wake? They're going to want to know where Naruto has disappeared to."

"Kit left us in charge while he goes and acquires the last herb we need for the mission. He didn't want to risk your lives any more than he already has, so he went alone."

"But isn't he technically in the same situation as us? I mean, in terms of staying warm and such?"

Kurama shakes his head. "Not necessarily. You're forgetting that the Kit is a Kitsune, if only partially. His hybrid form will generate more heat than his human form will, so he's more suited to traversing the frigid landscape of the Kōri caverns."

Obito nods. "Right, that did kind of slip my mind." The two then look out at the whirling and swirling of the falling snowflakes.

* * *

Naruto squints as the snow and frigid wind assaults his eyes, and continues pushing forward. He knows that he still has a bit of a way to go, and knows that the trek is only going to get more difficult until he manages to reach the caverns and out of the blizzard. He unseals his mask and sets it into place, blinking a few times to clear the snow from his eyes.

Ten minutes later he arrives at a sheer-drop cliff and looks up. He moves to the cliff-face and jumps onto it, working his way up, fighting against the ice, rock, snow and wind. A few times as he's scaling the cliff-face, his foots loses its hold as it sticks to a pile of snow instead of something firm. He even completely loses his grip one time, falling towards the bottom of the wall, only managing to catch himself by exposing his bare hands to the frigid atmosphere and utilizing Kurama's chakra to dig his hands into the cliff-face. After righting himself he continues climbing, albeit a bit more cautiously this time.

At the top of the cliff, he scrambles to solid ground, and looks up, straight at the gaping maw of the Suishōshimo Dōkutsu, his destination. He then makes his way into the cave mouth, out of the raging snowstorm.

Once out of the swirling snow, he around to get a better view of his surroundings. The walls glitter with a faint silvery-blue glow. There are a multitude of ice stalagmites and stalactites; some as small as the hilt of his ninjato, while others were as thick as some of the trunks of the Eldertrees at Mt. Enryū.

He continues deeper into the cavern's depths. As he progresses, he feels the temperature are him significantly plummet. He expected this, and responds to the sudden decrease by shifting into his hybrid form. Silver fur appears on his arms, legs, torso, and back. His ears elongate, and he has them press against the top of his head since he has the fabric mask on. His tail appears before wrapping around his waist under the cloak. His vision enhances, brightening the inside of the cave a bit due to his night vision.

He flexes his muscles and joints to remove the stiffness that comes from shifting to his hybrid form, before continuing deeper into the cave. He continues for almost an hour, before coming to what appears to be a dead end. His eyes flick to-and-fro, searching for any subtle differences in the walls, ceiling and floor. He frowns when he spots none.

He removes his mask and moves closer to the walls, examining them more thoroughly. He checks the floor and ceiling as well as the ice-crystals that protrude from nooks and crannies. He then backs to the center of the room. _'Something doesn't seem right here, but I just can't put my finger on it. This shouldn't be a dead end… as I least I don't think it should be, since this was the only path, so I doubt that I passed it.'_

He ponders for a moment before an idea comes to him. He activates his _Akumagan_ and re-examines the room. This time he spots something that he didn't see before; a seal on one of the walls the shape of a circle, just larger than his hand. The design looks familiar, but he can't put his finger on why.

He moves closer to the seal and examines it. A multitude of kanji are inscribed within it, making the seal extremely advanced… so much so that he's pretty sure that even Jiraiya would have problems with it. But his eyes keep returning to one specific kanji; the kanji of a long destroyed village, a village renowned for its masters of fūinjutsu; the kanji of the Uzumaki.

Usually whenever he encounters the kanji for the Uzumaki, it's usually meaning that it's a blood-seal than only one of Uzumaki blood can break. But all the other kanji are throwing him off. If it's an Uzumaki blood-seal, than why add all the other kanji into the seal array? He reaches out and rubs a hand over the seal, noticing a minute tug to his chakra as he does. He then places his hand completely flat on the seal, his world going black… if only for a moment.

When the world reappears, the seal is gone, even though his dōjutsu is still active. He pulls away from the wall, and since he's still looking at the wall, he doesn't notice that a section of the floor has vanished. He falls backward, hitting the ground with a thud after a ten foot drop, knocking the air from his lungs. He gasps as he attempts to catch his breath, before eventually climbing to his feet.

He looks around and sees that he's in a large, open cavern, standing on a ledge that runs around the entirety of the cavern. The cavern glows the same-silvery blue as the walls near the entrance did. The stalactites that hang from the ceiling all have seals and designs on them that glow a fiery-orange color. The stalagmites rising from the floor below however, are what intrigue him.

The tops of them have been flattened and smoothed out. But the stalagmites themselves aren't what are important, it's what are on top of them. Sprouting in clusters of threes and fours are crystalline-looking flowers. The stems glow a dark blue, while the petals shimmer silver-blue. _'Shivertap… now the question is, how do I get to them?'_

The stalagmites may be growing from the ground, but the things is… it's at least three-hundred feet down from his current location. A drop like that, even a ninja would be hard-pressed to survive. Naruto ponders his options, looking around the cavern. The closest cluster of the herb is at least fifty feet away, much further than he can jump, even with chakra augmenting his body… at least, not without a running start.

He looks at the nearby walls as well as the distant ground, trying to see if there is another hidden seal nearby, but to no avail. He begins walking around the cavern, keeping an eye open for anything out of the ordinary, or some sort of route that will lead him to the herbs. Thirty minutes later, he arrives at the far side of the cavern, but still hasn't found any clues as to how to reach his goal. He groans in frustration at how tedious this is becoming.

He looks up at the glowing stalactites, and wonders if they might have something to do with reaching his goal. He looks to the wall near him and tests to see if he can stick it via chakra, and once satisfied that he can, he walls up the wall and moves to the nearest stalactite. He examines the seals, but doesn't recognize any of the intricacies to them.

He tries reaching out to them – like he did for the one leading into the main cavern – but nothing happens, causing him to frown. He tries channeling his chakra into them, and at first, nothing seems to happen. Then he spots something in the distance… or more precisely, at the bottom of the chasm. He makes his way back to the cavern ledge, and begins to carefully make his way down to the chasm floor, via the wall.

When he reaches the ground, he moves to where he believes he saw the objects. Instead of finding an object, he finds yet another seal, but this one resembles the first seal he activated. He places his hand on it, and like before, his world goes black, before slowly returning to normal.

When he looks up, the glowing of the seals on the stalactites have faded, He moves to one of the stalagmites, and when he tries to stick with his chakra, he's unable to do so. He shakes his head and moves back to the wall and begins the process of scaling it once more. When he returns to the outcrop around the cavern, he doesn't spot anything new, and he frowns. _'This cavern is really starting to agitate the hell out of me.'_

A noise catches his attention. He flips his hood off and pulls off the face mask, and listens more intently, the sub-zero cold biting at the exposed flesh of his face, but he ignores it. His ears twitch as he concentrates, and he hears the sound again. He slowly moves towards the sound, pocketing the face-mask and pulling out his ninjato, holding it in a reverse grip, the blade resting against his forearm.

The noise gets louder, and almost sounds like the scuttling of small feet. He eventually comes to an opening in the wall and carefully peers inside. Inside is some sort of mechanical contraption, but he has no idea what it is, or what it does. He enters through the opening and moves closer to the contraption, staring at it.

He flips his blade into a forward grip and reaches out to touch the device with the blade. As soon as the blade makes contact, the device quiets, and when he removes the blade, the noise starts once again. He cocks his head as he examines the contraption, and notices a small seal within. The opening is too small for his hand, but is definitely large enough for his blade to fit in, so that's what he does.

When the blade touches the seal, the device quiets, but nothing happens. He pulls the blade away, and the noise starts up again. He examines the seal as best he can, and notices that it's a fairly simple chakra seal. He touches the blade to the seal once more, and using it as an extension of his arm, he channels his chakra through it into the seal. When he pulls his blade away this time, the device remains silent.

He gets up and exits the small room back into the cavern. The first thing he notices is that the stalactites are glowing again, but green this time. The second thing he notices are swirling seals connecting the outcrop to the stalagmites. He moves to the nearest swirling seals and experimentally presses his foot to it, and finds that it's surprisingly solid. _'Incredible… these seals are actually solid, yet they're connected to nothing except for empty air. From what I can see, they're fluctuating-transformation seals, but due to them fluctuating, I can't make out anything else. This is like the pinnacle of fūinjutsu, so far beyond my reach that it seems impossible to even think it would be possible.'_ He moves completely onto the seals and makes his way to the Shivertaps and kneels near them, and begins to carefully collect the herbs.

* * *

Kiba groans in his sleep before sitting up, his back stiff. He looks around and notices that Hinata and Shino are still asleep, and Obito and a new figure are standing near the mouth of the cave talking quietly, but no sign of Naruto. He gets up, making sure not to drop Akamaru, and grabs the blanket with his other hand, before moving to the awake duo. "Where's Naruto?" He asks quietly when he's next to Obito.

Obito turns his head. "He's not here. He went on head. Don't try to go after him. He left Kurama and myself in charge until he gets back."

Kiba blinks. "I thought that this was supposed to be a _team_ effort. Why did he go off on his own then?"

"Because he didn't want to risk his _team_ any more than necessary." Kurama replies, turning to face the Inuzuka. The Suishōshimo Dōkutsu is the most dangerous section of Kōri. There are only two people on this mission that can easily withstand the hyper sub-zero temperatures of those caverns; myself and the Kit."

Kiba faces Kurama. "And just who the hell are you supposed to be? You weren't with us when we started the mission. And what do you mean by the kit?"

"Actually, Inuzuka, I was. Not physically, but I was still there none-the-less. My name is Kurama, and you could say that I'm the Kit's closest companion. As for what I mean by 'the Kit', I mean Naruto, he's a kit to me."

Kurama stares at Kurama. "Right… then why aren't you garbed properly, as we all are?"

"Because, unlike you, I'm not human. I'm a Kitsune. This weather barely affects me."

"A Kitsune? But isn't that the actual animal. How can you be a Kitsune, if you look human?"

Kurama replies by allowing his ears to full stand up atop his head, as well as his tail to unwrap from around his waist. "Do humans have animal appendages?"

Kiba eyes the ears and tail, and his nose wrinkles at the scent of fox and spices. "Okay, so you're not human. But you also said that Naruto is unaffected, why is that?"

Kurama shakes his head. "I didn't say that he was unaffected. I said that he can more easily withstand the cold. He's similar to myself, although he's still mostly human. He's a partial-Kitsune."

Kiba is about to reply when his stomach growls. Kurama rolls his eyes. "If you're hungry, there are provisions in here." He says, withdrawing and tossing the scroll of things Naruto had gotten to Kiba. "Just don't touch the granolas."

Kiba blinks and opens the scroll, and unseals it, a number of seals as well as a box of granolas – which is quickly snatched by Kurama – appearing. Kiba raises an eyebrow as he looks to Kurama. "What's so special about some granolas?"

"These are a type that can only be gotten from a specific shop in Konoha. Naruto got them solely for me, as he always does when he's stops by that shop."

"Right…" Kiba replies, not at all impressed with that answer. "So, what, do we just wait for Naruto to return?"

"Yes. He and I are connected in a way, so I've been keeping an eye on him. He should be returning soon."

Kiba nods, and proceeds to head to the fire pit, and add another log to it. As he does, the two remaining Genin stir from their slumber.

"Ohayō, Kiba-kun." Hinata says sleepily, before yawning and looking around. "Where's Naruto-kun?"

Kiba looks to his female teammate, then back to the fire pit. "He went off on his own to finish the mission, according to those two over there. He apparently didn't want to endanger us anymore that he apparently already has."

"So he went off alone? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not to him, apparently. According to Kurama – the redhead over there – he and Naruto are not entirely human. Naruto is apparently part Kitsune, although I have yet to see any foxlike appendages or smell any foxlike scents, so I'm not sure I believe that part." Kiba says, before beginning to quietly talk, explaining the small conversation more to the other two member of his team.

* * *

Kurama and Obito watch as Kiba explains things to his team, before turning back to look outside the cave. "So how is Naruto doing? Has he found the herb yet?" Obito asks.

Kurama nods. "He's been at the caverns for a while now, and there were a variety of obstacles he had to deal with, but right now he's finally collecting the herbs. He should be returning shortly if he **_hiraishins_** back, or a couple hours if he hoofs it back, though he'll likely use the former method of travel.

Obito nods and watches the hectic dance of the snowstorm, which hasn't really calmed down much since it stared back up again. "So do you have any idea why Kusa has requested so many herbs, especially one as difficult to retrieve as this one?"

"None at all. I know a little about this particular herb. It's called Shivertap, and it can only be acquired in the hyper subzero temperature of Suishōshimo Dōkutsu. It's an herbal intensifier that strengthens the effects of anything that it is combined with, from remedies to poisons, and everything in between."

"Sounds like it's a valuable herb."

"Extremely. One full blossom; stem, roots and petal is worth a fair amount of ryō – according to the Kit's herbal journal – mostly due to the difficulty in acquiring it. It's also used in the creation of Myndstar…" Kurama says, trailing off.

"What's Myndstar? You just stopped mid-sentence."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Kurama says, biting his lip. _'I wonder if that's what Kusa is doing with this herb.'_

Obito turns to face Kurama and studies his expression, but drops it so as not to irritate Kurama, and plans to ask Naruto about it at a later time. He then turns back to watch the dancing snowflakes.

* * *

Naruto finishes collecting the blossoms from the second stalagmite and carefully seals them into a scroll, making eight full herbs, root and all. He stands and stretches before focusing on his **_hiraishin_** seal, but can't seem to get a fix on it, causing him to frown. He searches for the gap that he had fallen through into the cavern, and once climbing out, he tries once more, vanishing in a flicker of silver.

He reappears in the cave and looks around, noting that everyone is awake; team ten by the fire pit and Obito and Kurama by the cave mouth. "He moves to stand next to Kurama, shifting back to normal as he moves.

"Well, look whose back. Get everything that you need?" Kurama asks.

"Eight complete Shivertaps, sealed and ready for delivery." Naruto replies, looking to Obito. "Any issues while I was gone?"

"None at all. Everything went smoothly. Kiba was curious as to where you went, so we explained to him. He wasn't too happy with our explanation though."

Naruto nods, before moving over to the fire pit and sitting.

Kiba looks at Naruto, his nose wrinkling. "Why do you smell like fox?"

Naruto looks at Kiba. "I believe Kurama has already explained to you, did he not?"

Kiba looks Naruto over. "But you don't look all that different from before. However, you do _smell_ different."

Naruto sighs. "Just because I don't look different, doesn't mean that I'm not different. I don't remain in my Kitsune or hybrid form unless necessary. Unlike Kurama, I am human, though I do have small foxlike features like this, like my ears and canines. In my hybrid for I almost resemble Kurama in appearance, except for my hair and fur are silver instead of crimson." He then twitches his ears, making his hair twitch, but none of team ten notice.

"Anyways… did you manage to get the last herb that we needed?"

Naruto nods. "Eight full blossoms of it, which will be more than enough." He then proceeds to unseal his thermoses and helps himself to their contents. Kiba unseals some of the food from the scrolls, and passes it out to his teammates. Obito and Kurama then come after a while, and the six talk for a while to make the time pass by.

"We'll wait a bit to see if this storm passes by before we try heading to Kusa. I'd prefer to not have a chance of anyone getting lost or sick." Naruto says.

"How long do you think we'll be stuck in here?" Kiba asks.

Naruto looks out the cave. "Possibly a couple days at the worst, later today at the best; but that's just a guess, I can't predict or control the weather."

 _'What about the_ **hiraishin** _kit? Why not take us back to Konoha, and then we trek to Kusa from there?'_ Kurama asks.

 _I thought about that, but I'm thinking that Kusa will be expecting us to return from Kōri, since it's back across the water and south of Taki (Waterfall). Besides, I don't think it would look too good to have us reappear in Konoha and then leave it once more without having completed the mission.'_

 _'Well, why not use one of the seals you have scattered around Konoha, and then have us go around it, so it makes it seem like we never actually returned, and then do the same with Kusa to make it look like we're coming from Kōri?'_

 _'I… guess I didn't think about that.'_

Kurama sweat-drops. _'Sometimes I don't know if you're smart or just dense.'_

 _'And sometimes I think you're nothing but an obnoxious fox, but you don't see me complaining.'_ Naruto replies before looking to team ten. "How soon would you guys like to get out of here?"

"Why do you ask? Don't we have to wait for this storm to pass?" Hinata asks.

"Normally yes, but there is another possibility… though I've never done it with so many people before. I've done it with four and I was tired afterwards, five is gonna suck."

"Done what with so many people?"

"Didn't you see how I returned to the cave, or when I left then returned to Jijī's office?"

"That silvery flashy technique?" Kiba asks.

"Precisely. I have a few spots around the village that I could take us directly to. Kurama just reminded me. I'm kind of tired, so I forgot about them."

"How can you forget about your own technique?"

"Actually, the technique isn't even mine. I based it off of my father's technique and he based it off of the Nidaime Hokage's technique. I just tweaked it a bit, to be more to my liking."

"It doesn't matter. How did you forget about the technique?"

"Because, Kiba, unlike you, I've been awake pretty much all night with only a couple hours of rest. I haven't had a real chance to actually rest."

Kiba blinks. "Oh…"

"So chill for a little bit, and give me a little bit to allow my drink to actually do its job. If you want, we can jump to Konoha, and begin our trek to Kusa, or we can wait out the storm."

Not surprisingly, it was a unanimous decision to get out of the cave as soon as they could. Naruto stands ten minutes later and stretches. "Okay. Are you all ready?"

Kiba reseals the food scroll and stands, followed soon by the other three Genin. Kurama disappears in a poof of smoke. "Where'd Kurama go?" Kiba asks.

"He's still here, he's just making it easier on my."

Kiba raises an eyebrow but says nothing. "So how does this technique of yours work anyways?"

"Just place your hand on me or on someone who's holding onto me. As long as everyone is connected to me, there won't be any issues." Naruto says, and waits for everyone to make contact with him. "Oh yea, one more thing. The first time is a bit disorienting, so just be prepared." With that the quintet disappear in a flicker of silver

They reappear in front of Tenten's father's weapon shop. Kiba groans and clutches his head, and Naruto places his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "I warned you."

"You said disorienting, not headache inducing."

"That's just your body trying to cope with the aftereffects of the technique. We just traveled from Kōri to Konoha in a matter of seconds, so your body is trying to cope. You'll have that headache for a while. Just give me a second to catch my breath, moving this many people is tiring."

The quintet make their way back to and through the gate, earning odd looks from Izumo and Kotetsu, but they say nothing. They then head northwest heading to Taki, which takes them a while, but they arrive at around mid-evening, the sun hallway through the second half of the sky, before turning and heading southwest towards Kusa no Kuni.

"So, why did we head to Taki, only to turn and head back the direction we pretty much came?" Kiba asks.

"Because we're trying to make it seem like we came from Kōri. Something has been nagging at me the entire time we've been on this mission." Naruto replies and looks up to the sky. "Looks like we'll be staying at an Inn for the night, and hopefully finish off this mission tomorrow." The quintet pass through a small town and rent out a room for the night. The all take the chance to shower and clean up before eating and crashing for the night.

The next day the group continues its trek, passing the border of Taki no Kuni and Kusa no Kuni. An hour after they do, Naruto slows, forcing the rest of the group to slow as well. "What's…?" Kiba starts but is interrupted by Obito clamping his hand over his mouth.

Naruto's ears twitch and he looks around, but doesn't spot anything. He knows he heard something though. A minute later, a dozen shuriken fly from the trees aimed straight at Naruto. He dodges out of the way as all but one impact harmlessly into the ground, one managing to hit his leg, tearing straight through the cloak. He grunts and kneels, before reaching under the cloak and yanking the kunai free.

Three blurs launch from the trees, heading straight for the group, while another two head straight for Naruto. Naruto quickly draws his ninjato and blocks the two katanas that were aimed at him.

Obito lunges to the side, rolling to his feet, drawing his own ninjato, while the Genin all scatter to avoid the attackers. Obito then lunges at the nearest blur and slashes out, catching the edge of their outfit before they jump away.

Naruto jumps back after pushing the two attacking him away, before quickly tossing off his cloak, leaving him in his black bodysuit and boots. He then rushes forward, and dropkicks the right assaulter, and uses him as a springboard to launch at the other attacker, knocking him to the ground, his ninjato to their neck. "Who are you?"

The hood falls off the person's face revealing the smirking, scarred face of a male Kusa nuke-nin. "Who I am is of no concern. What is of concern is the cargo that you are carrying with you. Give us the herbs that you have and we will let you go."

Naruto eyes widen before narrowing. "How do you know of this mission?"

"Heh. It was really simple actually. We intercepted a copy of the mission request and decided to wait here in hopes that we would catch the person and group doing it. Most of those herbs sell for a fair amount of ryō." With that, he kicks Naruto off of him and rolls to his feet, and begins forming hand-seals. **_"Dōton: Doryūsō_** _(Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears)."_ He slams his hands on the ground and the ground erupts in a line with massive spikes, heading straight for Naruto. Naruto leaps to the side, rolling to his feet, before rushing forward once more, only to be intercepted by a boulder, which sends him tumbling.

He climbs to his feet, hand on the side that got slammed with the boulder, grimacing. _'That hurt…'_ He then rushes forward once more, and ducks under a strike from the first ninja, before slamming his fist into his gut, causing him to explode into mud. His eyes widen and he whirls around, but a moment too late as a spike pierces the back of his right shoulder, causing him to gasp in pain. _'Dammit. These guys are really tough. They keep managing to stay a couple thoughts ahead of me. At this rate, things aren't looking too good.'_ He looks over to Obito and team ten who are struggling to deal with their own opponents.

He yanks himself free from the spike and closes his eyes, before reopening them, his _Akumagan_ flaring to life. He then disappears from his location and reappears behind the second ninja, " ** _Kitsune no Koenga."_** He says, crimson flames erupting around his fist as he punches at the man, sending him tumbling and eventually crashing into a tree. He then lunges towards the first ninja, **_"Katon: Hibarashiri."_** His legs ignite in crimson and he blasts forward, leaving a trail of flames in his wake.

The first ninja goes through hand-seals. **_"Dōton: Doryūheki."_** A wall of mud and earth rises from the ground just as Naruto is nearing, blocking his path. He goes through more hand-seals. **_"Dōton: Chikyū no Funka Fūsa_** _(Earth Release: Eruption of the Earth Blockade)."_ He then places his hand on the wall, and it seems to bubble, before exploding outward from his hand.

Naruto is sent soaring through the air, before crashing to the ground and tumbling before slamming in to a tree, breaking through it and disappearing into the trees. He eventually comes to a stop after slamming into a massive boulder. He gags, coughing up a little bit of blood, before he collapses to the ground panting.

* * *

Obito dodges a hail of mud globs and rolls to his feet before rushing at his target, his _Sharingan_ blazing. He drops and slides under his target and kicks out with his feet, sending the ninja to the ground in a heap. Obito twists around coming to a stand, before lunging forward and slamming his elbow into the ninjas gut, causing the man to gag and gasp.

Just then as Obito climbs to his feet, he stumbles as a massive explosion rocks the ground. He turns and sees Naruto get launched through the air before tumbling and disappearing into the trees, and looks to the ninja who was able to do so with a bit of fear. He and the ninja lock eyes, before the man begins to rush towards him.

Obito raises his hitai-ate revealing his _Akumagan_ and dodges to the side just as the man slashes where he has been standing a moment before. He rolls to his feet, and just barely manages to bring his ninjato up in time to block the man's sword attack, his knees buckling under the weight of the attack. He shifts his hold and manages to force the sword blade to the side allowing him to roll away and onto his feet, before he begins going through hand-seals. **_"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu."_** A giant fireball rockets towards the nuke-nin.

As the aftereffects of the fireball diminish, Obito goes through more hand-seals and draws a dozen shuriken. **_"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu."_** He throws the shuriken and coats them with small fireballs. The dozen small, fire-coated weapons fly into the lingering smoke and impact into the nuke-nin who brushes them off like nothing, before charging from the smoke straight for Obito.

Obito's eyes widen and he realizes that he won't be able to dodge in time. Just as the man is about to cut him down, the man is sent careening off course before he tumbles across the ground. Obito seen Naruto in his Bijū Cloak standing where the man had been before he had be launched. "You okay, Obito?

Obito nods. "Good, then go and help team ten. These guys definitely are not pushovers, and they're likely going to have a hard time dealing with them." Naruto then rushes forward towards the ninja he just launched, and Obito rushes over to help the Genin.

Naruto appears behind the nuke-nin and grabs him, before twisting and hauling the man up and over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground via a suplex of sorts, before climbing to his feet and popping his knuckles, before dodging a slash from the other nuke-nin. He grabs the wrist of the second attacker and twists, a loud crunch being heard, before using the weight of the nuke-nin against him and sliding under the nuke-nin, dragging his face into the ground.

He then climbs to his feet as the first nuke-nin climbs to his feet and begins going through hand-seals. Naruto mimics him and they both finish at the same time. **_"Dōton: Dosekiryū_** _(Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon)."_ Two massive dragons formed of mud and rock form before rushing to and crashing into eachother, nullifying both attacks.

Naruto then rushes forward igniting his legs once more, disappearing and reappearing behind the nuke-nin in midair, before flipping and slamming the heel of his foot into the man's head, slamming him into the ground face first **_"Honokyoku."_**

Naruto lands on his feet and turns, rushing to the second nuke-nin forming hand-seals as he goes, before leaping and flipping midair, his legs becoming coated in dark-crimson flames. **_"Kitsunehō: Fushoku Enrakka."_** He slams his heel into the man's face, sending him tumbling. As his feet touch the ground, he's struck from behind by a barrage of mud spheres, knocking him off balance.

Naruto falls forwards with the momentum, before rolling to the side and jumping to his feet. He rushes at the first nuke-nin, ducking under his slash and grabbing him around the waist, causing them to fall to the ground, Naruto atop the nuke-nin. Naruto then channels Kurama's chakra and punches the man in the face, causing him to yell in agony, before Naruto is eventually kicked off the man.

Naruto then places his hand out, palm up, and focuses. _'Time to try out something that I haven't used yet and haven't really worked on in a while since I got the basics down…'_ He then rushes at the nuke-nin once more, before disappearing and appearing mid-twist above and behind him, an orb of rapidly swirling chakra in the palm of his hand. **_"Chōōdama Rasengan_** _(Ultra-Big Ball Spiraling Sphere)."_ He flares his chakra just before he makes contact, causing the attack to swell to a massive size, and slams the man into the ground, creating a massive plume of dust.

* * *

Obito parries another series of punches from his opponent, before ducking and sweeping the legs out from under his target. A moment later two swirling storms of claws and fangs slam into the downed nuke-nin, causing a plume of smoke. The two swirling storms retreat from the downed ninja revealing Kiba and Akamaru in their **_Jūjin Bunshin_** forms, one atop the other. Obito rolls to the side, avoiding two kunai that would've hit him had he remained where he was. He jumps to his feet and rushes to the nuke-nin that is attacking Hinata and dropkicks them, sending them tumbling, while he himself rolls and leaps to his feet, lunging for the third nuke-nin.

Shino's bugs swarm around the area, not allowing his opponent to get near him without getting himself caught in the beetle's clutches. The nuke-nin forms hand-seals before sinking into the ground and then reappearing beneath Shino where he grabs his leg and pulls him into the earth while he himself climbs out. **_"Dōton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu_** _(Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique)."_

As the nuke-nin looks down at his prey, said 'prey' distorts before changing into a swarm of Shino's Kikaichu beetles that quickly swarm the nuke-nin, causing him to collapse due to chakra exhaustion.

Obito skids to a stop, realizing that he's not needed, and whirls around only to be stabbed in the gut by the other nuke-nin with a sword. "How's it feel, brat, to know that no matter what you do, there's no way that you can defeat me?"

Obito smirks. "How's it feel to be outsmarted by said 'brat'?" He says, before disappearing and reappearing where the nuke-nin that had been taken down by Shino's Kikaichu was, the nuke-nin, having been the one to actually have been stabbed.

The sword-nin frowns, and yanks his sword free, before tossing the other nuke-nin to the side. "You're a cheeky brat, aren't you? No matter. Because today is the day you die." He says, before rushing towards Obito, and slashing with his sword. Obito parries with his ninjato and dodges, but the nuke-nin is way beyond what he is capable of dealing with.

He does everything in his power in order to protect himself, but he is beginning to get tired and is beginning to slow down. The nuke-nin notices and begins to put more pressure onto Obito. Obito misjudges one of the attacks and gets a decent sized gash along the length of his right arm and shoulder, causing him to cry out. He jumps back but is quickly pursued by the nuke-nin, who forces him to a knee with his next attack. "You lasted longer than I thought you would brat, but we've played too long."

The man kicks out with his leg, catching Obito off guard even with his dōjutsus active, and knocks him onto his back, his ninjato leaving his grasp. The man smirks as he raises his sword and begins to lower it. Time begins to slow for Obito as the blade draws closer to his chest as he thinks that this might just be the end, and that the man is just too powerful for him to deal with.

As the blade is an inch from his chest, his vision is suddenly filled with the flash of silver, and he's suddenly on his feet twenty feet from where he was just a moment before. It takes a moment for Obito to realize what happened and he turns looking to where he had been just a moment before, his eyes widening.

Naruto gasps, and coughs up a glob of blood, and he looks down to the sword now jutting from his chest, barely half an inch from his heart, but clearly having punctured his lung.

* * *

 _'Kit! Are you okay? What were you thinking?' Kurama shouts in his head._

 _'I… don't even remember moving. I'm not even sure when I switched with Obito, it just kind of happened.'_

Kurama sighs. _'You really are something else, you know that. But I guess that_ that _is what makes you,_ you. _'_

 _'I guess so.'_ Naruto thinks, before wheezing as he moves his hands to grasp the blade in his chest. " **You're going to pay for that."** Naruto growls out, his voice laced with Kurama's. His Bijū Cloak shifts from gold to a deep crimson, as he forces himself up, pushing the man with him, keeping his hand wrapped around the blade so it doesn't move, even as the man attempts to pull it out.

 **"You really shouldn't have injured my host like that, you insignificant swine. But because you did, I now have a chance to return the pain back in full…"** Kurama says through Naruto's mouth. He then vanishes from around the blade, reappearing behind the man and grabbing him by the back of the head. Naruto then jumps straight up, as high as he possibly can before flipping midair and allowing gravity to pull him back to the ground, his body erupting in dark-blue and crimson flames. **_"Kitsunehō: Taika Ryūsei Shūgeki_** _(Fox Art: Grand Hellfire Meteor Strike)!"_ Naruto and the nuke-nin slam into the other two nuke-nin with the force of a meteor, throwing up a massive plume of dust and throwing rocks and dirt in every direction, as well as causing the ground to shake hap-hazardously, causing everyone nearby not caught in the attack to stumble and fall to the ground.

Naruto stumbles from within the cloud of dust, his Bijū Cloak having diminished after that attack. His hand is held over the stab wound on his chest as he hobbles from the crater. He manages to make it about ten feet before he collapses to the ground in exhaustion and agony, releasing his gravity seal to ease the weight of gravity on his body. _'Dammit. Why do I hurt so damn much? My body feels like it's on fire.'_

 _'That's partially my fault kit. That attack was actually created for the Nibi. Even though I was the one to initially create it, she's the one who perfected it, which is why it was primarily that royal blue color with red hints, instead of primarily my red like most of the_ Akumagan _attacks. Your temperature is gonna be elevated for a while due that attacking being made of Hellfire, which is actually hotter than the fire I create, so it's just your body trying to cool itself down. You're also gonna be hurting for a while, since that attack was kind of inspired by the_ **Omote Renge** _, just tweaked a bit and relying solely on my chakra and your strength pushed to its limits. That attack is also one of the strongest ones from the arsenal of attacks that you can learn from me.'_

 _'Oh… well, that's cool. Well, imma go to sleep now. Nighty night.'_ Naruto says, before his body falls unconscious, causing Kurama to sweat-drop.

Obito rushes over to check on Naruto, and examines the stab wound, and is a bit surprised that it's not as bad as he thought it would be. Team ten moves towards the two, Shino picking up Naruto's cloak, with Hinata placing her hands over her mouth. "Damn… Naruto looks like shit. He didn't kick the bucket did he?" Kiba asks.

Obito shakes his head and begins rummaging through Naruto's pouches finding what he was looking for. He has Kiba help elevate Naruto's body so that he can manage to remove the bodysuit from over Naruto's shoulder and arms so that he can properly treat the stab wound, before wrapping in with bandages.

Once finished, Obito has Kiba gently set Naruto back on the ground and he falls back on his rear and releases a massive sigh. "This mission shouldn't have ended up going this way, but it did, and there's nothing that we can do about it. We do, however, have control over how it ends. We need to continue moving to Kusa and finish this mission."

"But how do you suppose we do that? Naruto is currently injured and he has the materials for the mission sealed away." Kiba replies.

"While Naruto may be out for now, _we_ are still able to continue. We'll just have to transport him the rest of the way there. As for the materials, there are two ways to go about getting them, with a possible third if need be. Anyways, we should at least get away from this area before any else arrives." Obito says standing and stretching. He then has Kiba help him get Naruto on his back, and the group then begins making their way to Kusa.

A couple hours later they arrive at the gates to the village, and are asked what their business is. Obito explains the situation and they are granted permission to enter and are led to a nearby Inn, where they can have Naruto rest. Obito then examines the seal when Naruto had sealed away the scroll with the herbs, and channels his chakra into it, and thankfully it appears in a poof of smoke.

"I'll be back in a bit, I'm going to go and deliver this to the Kusakage (Grass Shadow), and ask if we can remain here for a few days while Naruto recovers. **_(A/N: I don't know if that's what Kusa's lead is actually called, but for the sake of simplicity, I'm going to refer to it as such.)_**

Obito then exits the Inn, pocketing the scroll, and beginning to make his way towards the Kusakage's Building. When he is finally allowed to enter, the lady behind the desk looks up. "And how can I help you today, young man?"

Obito pulls out the scroll with the herbs. "I'm here on behalf of the Konoha team that took the mission to bring you the herbs that were on the mission request. Our squad leader was injured in a battle with Kusa nuke-nin on the way here, and is currently recovering at the Inn at the north-most end of the village."

The Kusakage takes the scroll and looks at it, before looking to Obito. "I'm sorry to hear that. But you said that they were Kusa nuke-nin?" She asks, earning a nod. "I see. Well, again I apologize for any issues that may have happened while taking on this mission. I assume that you were able to acquire all the requested herbs though? Including some of the more difficult ones?"

Obito nods. "Our squad leader knows his way around herbs and was able to acquire most of them before we even left Konoha. The only reason it took us so long to finally arrive is due to the process of acquiring the herb known as Shivertap."

"You even managed to acquire the Shivertap? That's quite impressive. Even though, I had asked them to mark on the request that the Shivertap was to be a gather if possible target, due to the complexities required in gathering it."

"If I'm not mistaken, the original request should be sealed within that scroll, so you can examine it at your discretion. But now that I think about it, the request we received may have been a modified copy. The nuke-nin we encountered seemed to know exactly what direction we were coming from when we were attacked, meaning they may have planned this whole thing from the beginning."

"Again, I apologize. It should have been on the request, and if what you said is true about the request being modified, then I will have to have a word with the distribution sector. We will pay for the mission in full, as well as compensation for any issues that may have occurred. We will also pay the bounties of the nuke-nin if you have them in custody or could direct a team to the location of the battle where their bodies should be found."

"While we don't have them in custody, it may be difficult to actually find their bodies since we left before the aftermath of the last attack finally settled down. The location of the battle site shouldn't be too difficult to locate, just head towards where the borders of Kusa and Taki meet, and you are sure to come across it."

The Kusakage nods. "Is there anything else that you wish to tell me before I release you?"

Obito thinks for a minute. "I can only think of one, but it wasn't actually said by the main squad captain. The request is that the herbs not be abused in any way, shape, or form as they are all rare and incredible hard to come across. There's also the fact that the ones who provided most of the herbs weren't actually pleased with having to part with so many rare herbs."

The Kusakage nods once more. "I'll do what I can to make sure that request is respected. If that is all, then you are dismissed.

Obito bows, before turning and making his way from the office and making his way back to the Inn. They remain there for a few days, Naruto having awoken on the second day, with another couple to allow him to recover a bit more, before they begin to make their way back to Konoha.

Obito turns to Naruto. "Why do you think that the mission request could have been modified like it was?"

"I'm not sure, but it is no longer our problem. The mission is finished and we can now head home. Speaking of which, would you all prefer to move fast, or take the long way?"

Team ten all look to eachother, then back to Naruto. "If we go the fast way, is there something that you can do about the migraine that comes from it?"

Naruto nods. "Hai. I have Jijī keep a container of Berryflake for headaches and pains."

"The let's go the quick way. I wanna get home for some of my ma's home cooking." Kiba says, causing everyone to sweat-drop – minus Akamaru who barks in agreement.

Once again everyone links together and they vanish in a flicker of silver, appearing in the hall outside Hiruzen's office. Naruto knocks and they all enter, raising an eyebrow at team seven's actions.

"Team ten and substitute squad leaders returning from the mission and reporting as requested, Hokage-sama." Naruto says, causing Obito and team ten to all look at Naruto in surprise at how formal he is.

Hiruzen nods and looks to the three team ten members, before pulling a red vial from his desk and tossing it to Naruto. Naruto then proceeds to offer each of the Genin a small amount. "Place it under your tongue and let it dissolve."

The Genin do and a minute late Kiba blinks in surprise. "Whoa. My headache is gone. What is that stuff?"

"It's a painkiller called Berryflake. It's fairly difficult, but not impossible to find in the nations." Naruto replies, before returning the vial to Hiruzen.

"So the mission is finished? I hope that everything went smoothly."

"Everything was going fine until he crossed the border from Taki no Kuni into Kusa no Kuni. About an hour after crossing, we were attacked by five Kusa nuke-nin, whom I would have to rank in strength as two Jōnin and three Chūnin. I primarily focused on the Jōnin – albeit with a fair amount of difficulty -while Obito and team ten focused on the Chūnin. I managed to dispatch one of the Jōnin and Shino managed to dispatch a Chūnin, and then things kind of went to hell.

"One of the Jōnin managed to get away from me as I was finishing off the other one and went after Obito and was overpowering him. The Jōnin managed to get Obito into a precarious situation and was readying a killing blow, and just as the sword was about to pierce through Obito's chest, I ended up using a **_Hiraishin-kawarimi_** with him, sending him to safety while I took the attack. The blade just barely missed my heart, but punctured and caused my left lung to deflate.

"Kurama is currently working to repair and mend it as we speak. After being stabled, my mind kind of blanked out as Kurama took over my body and pretty much obliterated the Jōnin and remaining Chūnin with one attack. Afterwards, Obito had Kiba prop me up while he tended to my injury before carrying me the rest of the way to Kusa on his back while I was unconscious. He turned in the herbs to the Kusakage and we remained there for the past few days while I was recovering, before heading back today." Naruto finishes.

Hiruzen pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing explosively. "Well, as long as you are okay, that's all that really matters. Yuuzuki would have my head if anything were to happen to you."

Obito then steps forward. "After I spoke to the Kusakage and passed over the herbs, she said that Kusa would compensate us for any issues as well as pay us for the bounties of the nuke-nin if they managed to recover their bodies."

Hiruzen nods. "And you will get those bonuses when they officially come in, the same with the actual payment. Other than the disaster of the battle, the mission seems to have gone off without a hitch. It's a bit of a long shot, but… good job on your first mission as squad leaders, Naruto and Obito. Team ten, I'll inform Kurenai when she returns from her mission about your success. Until then, you are all dismissed."

As the quintet all leave the office, Naruto remembers their clothes. He quickly grabs all their clothes and hands each person their own clothes. "Change when you get home, and make sure to put all the ANBU gear together, someone will be by later to get them."

The three Genin nod and exit the office, Obito and Naruto leaving in a flicker of silver. They reappear in their room and Naruto pulls away from Obito and proceeds to strip before pulling on his own clothes. Obito does the same while Naruto does.

"So what did you think of the mission, Obito?"

"It could've gone smoother at the end, but you seemed to do most of the work."

"That's true, but that was before the battle. You managed to handle yourself pretty well, but that nuke-nin was just too powerful for you to handle alone… hell, he was even tough for me to handle before I used by Bijū Cloak."

"Other than that, it was okay, I guess. It was kind of cool to see other nations though. I'd never been outside of Hi no Kuni before."

Naruto nods and sits on his bed. "You'll likely be seeing more missions outside of Hi no Kuni now that you're a Chūnin. And you'll also be expected to lead, so make sure that you keep a clear head and a calm mind. Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna take a nap."

Obito nods and moves to sit on his futon, while Naruto lays back and quickly conks out. Obito decides to try and catch a few Z's, and within a few minutes, he is out as well.

* * *

 ** _Until next time. Ja ne._**

* * *

 **Hi no Kuni=** Land of Fire

 **Kusa=** Grass

 **Suishōshimo Dōkutsu no Kōri=** Frost-Crystal Caverns of Ice

 **Tetsu no Kuni=** Land of Iron

 **Yuki no Kuni=** Land of Snow

 **Kaze no Kuni=** Land of Wind

 **Taki=** Waterfall

 **Dōton: Doryūsō=** Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears

 **Dōton: Chikyū no Funka Fūsa=** Earth Release: Eruption of the Earth Blockade

 **Dōton: Dosekiryū=** Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon

 **Chōōdama Rasengan=** Ultra-Big Ball Spiraling Sphere

 **Dōton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu=** Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique

 **Kitsunehō: Taika Ryūsei Shūgeki=** Fox Art: Grand Hellfire Meteor Strike

 **Kusakage=** Grass Shadow


End file.
